Progress in the Theory of Mixed Quantum-Classical Dynamics

Quantum-classical Liouville dynamics can be used to study the properties of open quantum systems that are coupled to bath or environmental degrees of freedom whose dynamics can be approximated by classical equations of motion. In contrast to many open quantum system approaches, quantum-classical dynamics provides a detailed description of the bath molecules. Such a description is especially appropriate for the study of quantum rate processes, such as proton and electron transport, where the detailed dynamics of the bath has a strong influence on the quantum rate. The quantum-classical Liouville equation can also serve as a starting point for the derivation of reduced descriptions where all or some of the bath degrees of freedom are projected out. Quantum-classical Liouville dynamics can be simulated in terms of an ensemble of surface-hopping trajectories whose character differs from that in other surface-hopping schemes. The results of studies of proton transfer in condensed phase and reactive dynamics in a dissipative environment are presented to illustrate applications of the formalism.