A fractional calculus framework for open quantum dynamics: From Liouville to Lindblad to memory kernels
Abstract
Open quantum systems exhibit dynamics ranging from unitary evolution to irreversible dissipation. While the Gorini-Kossakowski-Sudarshan-Lindblad equation uniquely characterizes Markovian completely positive and trace-preserving (CPTP) evolution, many physical platforms display non-Markovian features such as algebraic relaxation and coherence backflow. Fractional calculus provides a natural way to model such long-memory behavior through power-law temporal kernels introduced by fractional time derivatives. Here, we develop a unified framework that embeds fractional master equations within the broader hierarchy of open-system formalisms. The fractional equation forms a structured subclass of memory-kernel models, reduces to the Lindblad form at unit order, and, through Bochner-Phillips subordination, admits a CPTP representation as an average over Lindblad semigroups. Its resolvent structure further connects fractional dynamics to established non-Markovian approaches, including Nakajima-Zwanzig kernels and hierarchical equations of motion, providing a compact surrogate for long-memory effects. This formulation positions fractional calculus as a rigorous and practical language for modeling non-Markovian quantum dynamics in chemical physics and physical chemistry, providing a CPTP-preserving, computationally efficient surrogate for structured condensed-phase environments where long-time memory and dissipation play a central role.
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