Entropy Production in Quantum Brownian Motion (1210.4111v2)

Abstract: We investigate how to coherently define entropy production for a process of transient relaxation in the Quantum Brownian Motion model for harmonic potential. We compare a form, called "Poised" (P), which after non-Markovian transients corresponds to a definition of heat as the change in the system Hamiltonian of mean force, with a recent proposal by Esposito (ELB) based on a definition of heat as the energy change in the bath. Both expressions yield a positive-defined entropy production and coincide for vanishing coupling strength, but their difference is proved to be always positive (after non-Markovian transients disappear) and to grow as the coupling strength increases. In the classical over-damped limit the "Poised" entropy production converges to the entropy production used in stochastic thermodynamics. We also investigate the effects of the system size, and of the ensuing Poincar\'e recurrences, and how the classical limit is approached. We close by discussing the strong-coupling limit, in which the ideal canonical equilibrium of the bath is violated.