International Workshop on ''Atomic Physics''
mpipks

November 24 - 28, 2008

Focus on
"Quantum dynamics of atoms and molecules
in complex environments"

Quantum dynamics in strongly condensed phase:
The Quantum Smoluchowski Equation
Joachim Ankerhold
Universität Ulm
In this talk I will discuss how the strong friction limit in quantum mechanics leads to the low temperature version of the classical Smoluchowski equation based on an exact description of dissipative quantum systems. This in turn also shows that derivations by means of high temperature master equations are not consistent. I will further present some recent applications, namely, (i) phase diffusion of overdamped Josephson junctions and (ii) electron transfer reactions.

[1] J. Ankerhold, P. Pechukas, and H. Grabert, Phys. Rev. Lett. 87, 086802 (2001).
[2] H. Lehle, J. Ankerhold, J. Chem. Phys. 120, 1436 (2004).
[3] J. Ankerhold, Europhys. Lett. 67, 280 (2004).