6533b7d7fe1ef96bd126824e

RESEARCH PRODUCT

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subject

PhysicsLattice dynamicssymbols.namesakeFormalism (philosophy of mathematics)Classical mechanicsQuantum decoherenceLattice (order)Master equationsymbolsGeneral Physics and AstronomyWigner distribution functionNegativity effectHamiltonian (quantum mechanics)

description

The recently proposed Wigner function for a particle in an infinite lattice [NJP 14, 103009 (2012)] is extended here to include an internal degree of freedom, as spin. The formalism is developed to account for dynamical processes, with or without decoherence. We show explicit solutions for the case of Hamiltonian evolution under a position-dependent potential, and for evolution governed by a master equation under some simple models of decoherence. Discrete processes are also discussed. Finally we discuss the possibility of introducing a negativity concept for the Wigner function in the case in which the spin degree of freedom is included.