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On the Assumption of Initial Factorization in the Master Equation for Weakly Coupled Systems I: General Framework

S. Tasaki, K. Yuasa, P. Facchi, G. Kimura, H. Nakazato, I. Ohba, S. Pascazio

quant-pharXiv:quant-ph/0602184

Abstract

We analyze the dynamics of a quantum mechanical system in interaction with a reservoir when the initial state is not factorized. In the weak-coupling (van Hove) limit, the dynamics can be properly described in terms of a master equation, but a consistent application of Nakajima-Zwanzig's projection method requires that the reference (not necessarily equilibrium) state of the reservoir be endowed with the mixing property.

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