Hazards of reservoir memory

S.M. Barnett, S.T. Stenholm

Research output: Contribution to journalArticlepeer-review

113 Citations (Scopus)

Abstract

We add memory effects to the master equation describing a harmonic oscillator embedded in a reservoir. Solving the time evolution exactly, we show that the model is sensible only in the Markovian limit. Thus we issue a warning against indiscriminate introduction of memory effects in master equations and call for a systematic method to obtain corrections to Markovian time evolution.
Original languageEnglish
Pages (from-to)033808
Number of pages5
JournalPhysical Review A
Volume64
Issue number3
DOIs
Publication statusPublished - 13 Aug 2001

Keywords

  • Markovian time evolution
  • memory
  • memory effects
  • master equation

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