Approximating open quantum system dynamics in a controlled and efficient way: A microscopic approach to decoherence

We demonstrate that the dynamics of an open quantum system can be calculated efficiently and with predefined error, provided a basis exists in which the system-environment interactions are local and hence obey the Lieb-Robinson bound. We show that this assumption can generally be made. Defining a dynamical renormalization group transformation, we obtain an effective Hamiltonian for the full system plus environment that comprises only those environmental degrees of freedom that are within the effective light cone of the system. The reduced system dynamics can therefore be simulated with a computational effort that scales at most polynomially in the interaction time and the size of the effective light cone. Our results hold for generic environments consisting of either discrete or continuous degrees of freedom

Classes of random walks on temporal networks with competing timescales

Random walks find applications in many areas of science and are the heart of essential network analytic tools. When defined on temporal networks, even basic random walk models may exhibit a rich spectrum of behaviours, due to the co-existence of different timescales in the system. Here, we introduce random walks on general stochastic temporal networks allowing for lasting interactions, with up to three competing timescales. We then compare the mean resting time and stationary state of different models. We also discuss the accuracy of the mathematical analysis depending on the random walk model and the structure of the underlying network, and pay particular attention to the emergence of non-Markovian behaviour, even when all dynamical entities are governed by memoryless distributions.Comment: 16 pages, 5 figure

Universally Optimal Noisy Quantum Walks on Complex Networks

Transport properties play a crucial role in several fields of science, as biology, chemistry, sociology, information science, and physics. The behavior of many dynamical processes running over complex networks is known to be closely related to the geometry of the underlying topology, but this connection becomes even harder to understand when quantum effects come into play. Here, we exploit the Kossakoski-Lindblad formalism of quantum stochastic walks to investigate the capability to quickly and robustly transmit energy (or information) between two distant points in very large complex structures, remarkably assisted by external noise and quantum features as coherence. An optimal mixing of classical and quantum transport is, very surprisingly, quite universal for a large class of complex networks. This widespread behaviour turns out to be also extremely robust with respect to geometry changes. These results might pave the way for designing optimal bio-inspired geometries of efficient transport nanostructures that can be used for solar energy and also quantum information and communication technologies.Comment: 17 pages, 12 figure