Non-Markovian Behavior of Small and Large Complex Quantum Systems

The channel induced by a complex system interacting strongly with a qubit is calculated exactly under the assumption of randomness of its eigenvectors. The resulting channel is represented as an isotropic time-dependent oscillation of the Bloch ball, leading to non-Markovian behavior, even in the limit of infinite environments. Two contributions are identified: one due to the density of states and the other due to correlations in the spectrum. Prototype examples, one for chaotic and the other for regular dynamics are explored.