Quantum Scattering Theoretical Description of Thermodynamical Transport Phenomena

TL;DR

This paper introduces a quantum scattering theoretical framework to describe thermodynamical transport phenomena, deriving a general expression for currents that encompasses the Landauer formula and its extensions.

Contribution

It presents a novel quantum scattering approach that derives thermodynamical transport properties and generalizes the Landauer formula independently of Hamiltonian specifics.

Findings

Derived a Hamiltonian-independent current expression

Generalized the Landauer formula within this framework

Provided a method applicable to quantum transport systems

Abstract

We give a method of describing thermodynamical transport phenomena, based on a quantum scattering theoretical approach. We consider a quantum system of particles connected to thermodynamical reservoirs by leads. The effects of the reservoirs are imposed as an asymptotic condition at the end of the leads. We derive an expression for a current of a conserved quantity, which is independent of the details of the Hamiltonian operator. The Landauer formula and its generalizations are derived from this method.