Relaxation in time-dependent current-density functional theory

Abstract

We apply the time-dependent current-density functional theory to the study of the relaxation of a closed many-electron system evolving from an non-equilibrium initial state. We show that the self-consistent unitary time evolution generated by the time dependent exchange-correlation vector potential irreversibly drives the system to equilibrium. We also show that the energy dissipated in the Kohn-Sham system is related to the entropy production in the real system.

4 pages, 2 figures, Revtex4. Submitted to Physical Review Letters