Study of some approximation schemes in the spin-boson problem

Some approximation schemes used in the description of the evolution of the spin-boson system are studied through numerical and analytic methods. Among the procedures investigated are semiclassical approximations and the memory function approach. An infinitely large number of semiclassical approximations are discussed. Their two extreme limits are shown to be characterized, respectively, by effective energy mismatch and effective intersite transfer. The validity of the two limits is explored by explicit numerical calculations for important regions in parameter space, and it is shown that they can provide good descriptions in the socalled adiabatic and anti-adiabatic regimes, respectively. The memory function approach, which provides an excellent approximation scheme for a certain range of parameters, is shown to be connected to other approaches such as the non-interacting blip approximation. New results are derived from the memory approach in semiclassical contexts. Comments are made on thermal effects in the spin-boson problem, the discrete non-linear Schroedinger equation, and connections to the areas of dynamic localization, and quantum control. (C) 2003 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.