The first step in the study of physical phenomena is that of identifying the system upon which to focus the attention,usually referred to as the ”principal system”. What is left out might yet contain parts that significantly affect the process under analysis, and combine to define the ”environment”.
Quantum systems with a quantum environment go under the name of Open Quantum Systems (OQS)
In the last twenty years, the extraordinary breakthroughs in dealing with individual quantum systems made clear that the way we actually get in touch with a quantum object is via its environment, which therefore takes on the role of an essential connector, whether we want to control or measure, transfer or otherwise utilize the principal system. In particular, it has become clear that such linking action is fulfilled whenever principal system and environment are entangled, by this meaning that they cannot be separately described by pure quantum states. Recognition of such a primary role to the above entanglement compels a anyhow quantum treatment of the environment, which indeed characterizes the contemporary theory of OQS dynamics. Amongst the different types of quantum environments that are currently under investigation, in recent years we have specifically considered three cases:
Quantum systems with a quantum environment go under the name of Open Quantum Systems (OQS)
In the last twenty years, the extraordinary breakthroughs in dealing with individual quantum systems made clear that the way we actually get in touch with a quantum object is via its environment, which therefore takes on the role of an essential connector, whether we want to control or measure, transfer or otherwise utilize the principal system. In particular, it has become clear that such linking action is fulfilled whenever principal system and environment are entangled, by this meaning that they cannot be separately described by pure quantum states. Recognition of such a primary role to the above entanglement compels a anyhow quantum treatment of the environment, which indeed characterizes the contemporary theory of OQS dynamics. Amongst the different types of quantum environments that are currently under investigation, in recent years we have specifically considered three cases:
when the environment is