A non-Hermitian Hamilton operator and the physics of open quantum systems

The Hamiltonian Heff of an open quantum system consists formally of a first-order interaction term describing the closed (isolated) system with discrete states and a second-order term caused by the interaction of the discrete states via the common continuum of scattering states. Under certain conditions, the last term may be dominant. Due to this term, Heff is non-Hermitian. Using the Feshbach projection operator formalism, the solution ΨEc of the Schrodinger equation in the whole function space (with discrete as well as scattering states, and the Hermitian Hamilton operator H) can be represented in the interior of the localized part of the system in the set of eigenfunctions λ of Heff. Hence, the…