Von Neumann equation (describes how a density operator (for pure or for mixed states) evolves in time)

Community: MathModDB

continuous-time expression	mathematical expression	ordinary differential equation

Available identifiers

WikidataQ2533076 ScholiaQ2533076MaRDI QIDQ6534349 FDOQ6534349

Also known as Quantum Liouville Equation, Liouville-von Neumann Equation

Named after

John von Neumann, Joseph Liouville

Description

Just as the Schrödinger equation describes how pure states evolve in time, the Liouville-von Neumann equation describes how a density operator evolves in time. Note that there can be different density operators for pure or for mixed states.,
Note the similarity with the classical Liouville equation where the commutator brackets [.,.] are replaced by Poisson brackets {.,.}

$\frac{\partial \hat{ρ}}{\partial t} = - \frac{i}{ℏ} [\hat{H}, \hat{ρ}]$
$\hat{H}$ represents Hamiltonian operator
$\hat{ρ}$ represents quantum density operator
$ℏ$ represents reduced Planck constant
$t$ represents time
$i$ represents imaginary unit

Contained entities

quantum Hamiltonian (electric polarizability)	$H = H_{0} - \frac{1}{2} α ℰ^{2}$
	$H$ represents Hamiltonian operator
	$H_{0}$ represents Hamiltonian operator
	$α$ represents polarizability
	$ℰ$ represents electric field

quantum Hamiltonian (electric dipole)	$H \equiv H_{0} - μ \cdot ℰ$
	$H$ represents quantum Hamiltonian (electric dipole)
	$H_{0}$ represents Hamiltonian operator
	$ℰ$ represents electric field
	$μ$ represents electric dipole moment

quantum Hamiltonian (electric charge)	$H \equiv H_{0} + q ϕ$
	$H_{0}$ represents Hamiltonian operator
	$ϕ$ represents electric potential
	$q$ represents electric charge
	$H$ represents quantum Hamiltonian (electric charge)

Specializations

Liouville equation	assumes	classical approximation
Schrödinger equation (time dependent)	assumes	closed system approximation

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