Non-equilibrium thermodynamics approach to open quantum systems

TL;DR

This paper introduces a thermodynamics-based framework for open quantum systems, deriving a non-Markovian master equation that links dynamical behavior with thermodynamic properties, demonstrated through specific quantum models.

Contribution

It unifies maximum entropy principles with relaxation hierarchy to derive a local, non-Markovian master equation for open quantum systems.

Findings

Derived analytical expressions for non-Markovian entropy.

Obtained inverse temperature formulas for quantum systems.

Validated approach on harmonic oscillator and two-level system.

Abstract

Open quantum systems are studied from the thermodynamical point of view unifying the principle of maximum informational entropy and the hypothesis of relaxation times hierarchy. The result of the unification is a non-Markovian and local in time master equation that provides a direct connection of dynamical and thermodynamical properties of open quantum systems. The power of the approach is illustrated with the application to the damped harmonic oscillator and the damped driven two-level system resulting in analytical expressions for the non-Markovian and non-equilibrium entropy and inverse temperature.