Non-Markovian Quantum Heat Statistics with the Reaction Coordinate Mapping

Understand

The definition of heat in quantum mechanics is ambiguous.

• Complications arise in particular when the coupling between a quantum system and a thermal environment is non-negligible, as the boundary between the two becomes blurred, making the distinction between system and environment difficult to draw.
• The reaction coordinate mapping can be used in such regimes to redraw the boundary between the system and environment.
• In this paper we combine the reaction coordinate technique with a two-point measurement protocol to compare two different definitions of heat: energetic changes with respect to the full environment Hamiltonian (prior to the mapping), and energetic changes with respect to the residual environment Hamiltonian (after the mapping).