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Time-dependent transport in open systems based on quantum master equations

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Abstract

Electrons in the active region of a nanostructure constitute an open many-body quantum system, interacting with contacts, phonons, and photons. We review the basic premises of the open system theory, focusing on the common approximations that lead to Markovian and non-Markovian master equations for the reduced statistical operator. We highlight recent progress on the use of master equations in quantum transport, and discuss the limitations and potential new directions of this approach.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Electrical and Computer Engineering, University of Wisconsin–Madison, Madison, WI, 53706, USA

    I. Knezevic

  2. Electrical and Computer Engineering, Purdue University, West Lafayette, IN, 47907, USA

    B. Novakovic

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  1. I. Knezevic
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  2. B. Novakovic
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Correspondence to I. Knezevic.

Additional information

This work has been supported by the U.S. Department of Energy, Office of Basic Energy Sciences, Division of Materials Sciences and Engineering, under award DE-SC0008712.

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Knezevic, I., Novakovic, B. Time-dependent transport in open systems based on quantum master equations. J Comput Electron 12, 363–374 (2013). https://doi.org/10.1007/s10825-013-0474-7

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