Irreversible Electron Transfer between Two Molecules by Variable Hopping Parameter and Relaxation Processes

Abstract

Electron which interact with thermal phonons is transfered between two molecules irreversibly with the probability almost unity when hopping parameter between molecules is controlled appropriately. To study this electronic process, a kinetic equation for the density matrix is derived from the quantum Liouville equation with a time-dependent Hamiltonian. An important point is that a meaningful kinetic equaion is derived when adiabatic states are employed as basis of the density matrix. The newly derived kinetic equation is applied to study the electron transfer between two molecules in the presence of the time-dependent hopping parameter.