Quantum molecular master equations

We present the quantum master equations for midsize molecules in the presence of an external magnetic field. The Hamiltonian describing the dynamics of a molecule accounts for the molecular deformation and orientation properties, as well as for the electronic properties. In order to establish the master equations governing the relaxation of free-standing molecules, we have to split the molecule into two weakly interacting parts, a bath and a bathed system. The adequate choice of these systems depends on the specific physical system under consideration. Here we consider a first system consisting of the molecular deformation and orientation properties and the electronic spin properties and a second system composed of the remaining electronic spatial properties. If the characteristic time scale associated with the second system is small with respect to that of the first, the second may be considered as a bath for the first. Assuming that both systems are weakly coupled and initially weakly correlated, we obtain the corresponding master equations. They describe notably the relaxation of magnetic properties of midsize molecules, where the change of the statistical properties of the electronic orbitals is expected to be slow with respect to the evolution time scale of the bathed system.