Theory of dissipation pathways in open quantum systems

We introduce a simple and effective method to decompose the energy dissipation in the dynamics of open quantum systems into contributions due to individual bath components. The method is based on a vibronic extension of the Forster resonance energy transfer theory that enables quantifying the energy dissipated by specific bath degrees of freedom. Its accuracy is determined by benchmarking against mixed quantum-classical simulations that reveal that the method provides a semi-quantitative frequency-dependent decomposition of the overall dissipation. The utility of the method is illustrated by using a model donor-acceptor pair interacting to a thermal harmonic bath with different coupling strengths. The method can be used to identify the key features of a bath that leads to energy dissipation as required to develop a deep understanding of the dynamics of open quantum systems and to engineer environments with desired dissipative features.

Automated summary

This method decomposes the energy dissipation in open quantum systems into contributions due to individual bath components, based on a vibronic extension of the Forster resonance energy transfer theory. Benchmarking against mixed quantum-classical simulations shows that it provides a semi-quantitative frequency-dependent decomposition of the overall dissipation.