Entropy production in open quantum systems: exactly solvable qubit models

Abstract

We present analytical results for the time-dependent information entropy in exactly solvable two-state (qubit) models. The first model describes dephasing (decoherence) in a qubit coupled to a bath of harmonic oscillators. The entropy production for this model in the regimes of "complete" and "incomplete" decoherence is discussed. As another example, we consider the damped Jaynes-Cummings model describing a spontaneous decay of a two-level system into the field vacuum. It is shown that, for all strengths of coupling, the open system passes through the mixed state with the maximum information entropy.

Keywords

• information entropy
• open quantum systems
• qubit models
• decoherence
• quantum entanglement