Generalized Langevin equations and fluctuation-dissipation theorem for particle-bath systems in electric and magnetic fields

TL;DR

This paper extends the generalized Langevin equation framework to charged particle-bath systems in electric and magnetic fields, revealing how external fields influence memory functions and thermal noise correlations.

Contribution

It introduces a modified particle-bath model where both the particle and bath respond to external fields, deriving new Langevin equations and fluctuation-dissipation relations.

Findings

Electric fields do not alter memory functions or velocity correlations.

Magnetic fields lead to two distinct memory functions for perpendicular motion.

Thermal noise depends on the magnetic field magnitude and relates to memory functions.

Abstract

The Brownian motion of a particle immersed in a medium of charged particles is considered when the system is placed in magnetic or electric fields. Coming from the Zwanzig-Caldeira-Legget particle-bath model, we modify it so that not only the charged Brownian particle (BP) but also the bath particles respond to the external fields. For stationary systems the generalized Langevin equations are derived. Arbitrarily time-dependent electric fields do not affect the memory functions, the thermal noise force, and the BP velocity correlation functions. In the case of a constant magnetic field two equations with different memory functions are obtained for the BP motion in the plane perpendicular to the field. As distinct from the previous theories, the random thermal force depends on the field magnitude. Its time correlation function is connected with one of the found memory functions through the familiar second fluctuation-dissipation theorem.