Open quantum Markovian systems and the microreversibility

Abstract

The concept of microreversibility (detailed balance) as applied to open quantum Markovian systems is introduced. The properties of such systems obeying detailed balance are studied in detail. It is shown how microreversibility may be used to obtain the steady state solution for the density operator. Some properties of the eigenfunctions of the Liouville operator are discussed. The general formalism is applied to Pauli master equation and some other master equations describing the relaxation of oscillators, two-level atoms in contact with heat bath; parametric frequency conversion and a single mode laser.