Current-constraining variational approaches to quantum transport

P Bokes, H Mera, R W Godby

Research output: Contribution to journalArticlepeer-review

Abstract

Presently, the main methods for describing a nonequilibrium charge-transporting steady state are based on time-evolving it from the initial zero-current situation. An alternative class of theories would give the statistical nonequilibrium density operator from principles of statistical mechanics, in a spirit close to Gibbs ensembles for equilibrium systems, leading to a variational principle for the nonequilibrium steady state. We discuss the existing attempts to achieve this using the maximum entropy principle based on constraining the average current. We show that the current-constrained theories result in a zero-induced drop in electrostatic potential, so that such ensembles cannot correspond to the time-evolved density matrix, unless left- and right-going scattering states are mutually incoherent.

Original languageEnglish
Article number165425
Pages (from-to)-
Number of pages10
JournalPhysical Review B
Volume72
Issue number16
DOIs
Publication statusPublished - Oct 2005

Bibliographical note

© 2005 American Physical Society. This is an author produced version of a paper published in Physical Review B and uploaded in accordance with the publisher's self archiving policy.

Keywords

  • MESOSCOPIC TRANSPORT
  • SYSTEMS
  • CONDUCTORS

Cite this