Self-restricting Noise and Exponential Relative Entropy Decay Under Unital Quantum Markov Semigroups

Abstract

States of open quantum systems often decay continuously under environmental interactions. Quantum Markov semigroups model such processes in dissipative environments. It is known that finite-dimensional quantum Markov semigroups with GNS detailed balance universally obey complete modified logarithmic Sobolev inequalities (CMLSIs), yielding exponential decay of relative entropy to a subspace of fixed point states. We analyze continuous processes that combine dissipative with Hamiltonian time-evolution, precluding this notion of detailed balance. First, we find counterexamples to CMLSI-like decay for these processes and determine conditions under which it fails. In contrast, we prove that despite its absence at early times, exponential decay re-appears for unital, finite-dimensional quantum Markov semigroups at finite timescales. Finally, we show that when dissipation is much stronger than Hamiltonian time-evolution, the rate of eventual, exponential decay toward the semigroup's decoherence-free subspace is bounded inversely in the decay rate of the dissipative part alone. Dubbed self-restricting noise, this inverse relationship arises when strong damping suppresses effects that would otherwise spread noise beyond its initial subspace.