Implications of the intrinsic decoherence in quantum mechanics to nonequilibrium statistical mechanics

The discrete-time jump model for intrinsic decoherence in quantum mechanics proposed recently by Milburn is here generalized to explicitly time-dependent Hamiltonians. In this model, a time-dependent entropy is obtained and thus it admits of an interpretation that this is a model for an open system. Unlike in the Milburn model, we introduce a minimum uncertainty phase change dictated by the minimum ‘‘time-energy uncertainty product’’ to define the shortest time scale in the system. Implications of this model to quantum nanometric devices such as quantum dots or resonant tunneling devices are indicated. © 1996 The American Physical Society.