Steady-state correlation function beyond the standard weak-coupling limit and consistency with the Kubo-Martin-Schwinger relation

Abstract

Thermalization of a system when interacting with a thermal bath is an interesting problem. If a system eventually reaches a thermal state in the long time limit, it's expected that its density matrix would resemble the mean-force Gibbs state. Moreover, the correlation function must satisfy the Kubo-Martin-Schwinger (KMS) condition, or equivalently, the fluctuation-dissipation relation (FDR). In this paper, we derive a formal expression for the non-Markovian two-point function within the context of the weak coupling limit. Using this expression, we explicitly compute the two-point function for specific models, demonstrating their adherence to the KMS. In addition, we formulate a nonperturbative approach in the form of a self-consistent approximation that includes a partial resummation of perturbation theory. This approach can capture strong coupling phenomena while still relying on simple equations. Notably, we verify that the two-point function obtained through this method also satisfies the KMS condition.