Quantum Dissipation due to the Interaction with Chaos

Abstract

We discuss the possibility of having "quantum dissipation" due to the interaction with chaotic degrees of freedom. We define the conditions that should be satisfied in order to have a dissipative effect similar to the one due to an interaction with a (many body) bath. We also compare with the case where the environment is modeled by a random matrix model. In case of interaction with "chaos" we observe a regime where the relaxation process is non-universal, and reflects the underlaying semiclassical dynamics. As an example we consider a two level system (spin) that interacts with a two dimensional anharmonic oscillator.

Comments: 5 pages, 1 figure, final improved version, to be published as Phys Rev. E Rapid Communication