**This is an old revision of the document!**
Table of Contents
von-Neumann equation
von-Neumann equation is basically the Schrodinger equation where the quantum state is represented by a density matrix $\rho$, rather than a state vector $\lvert\psi\rangle$. It takes the following form.
$$\frac{\mathrm d\rho}{\mathrm dt} = -\frac{i}{\hbar}[H, \rho]$$
Where $H$ is the Hamiltonian and $\rho$ is the density matrix and they both vary in time. Meanwhile $i$ is the imaginary unit and $\hbar$ is the reduced planck constant and they are both cosntants.
Notation
Alternative notation using Newton's dot notation:
$$\dot\rho = -\frac{i}{\hbar}[H, \rho]$$
The notation $[H, \rho]$ indicates the commutator. By definition $[H, \rho] = H\rho - \rho H$ (recall matrix multiplication is not necessarily commutative so this expression is not zero).
$$\dot\rho = -\frac{i}{\hbar}(H\rho - \rho H)$$
Recall that matrix multiplication is not necessarily
Derivation
First, recall that a state vector $\lvert\psi\rangle$ has a density matrix representation $\rho$ inthe following way:
$$\rho = \lvert\psi\rangle\langle\psi\lvert$$
Desnity matrix $\rho$ varies in time so we can write $\rho = \rho(t) = \lvert\psi(t)\rangle\langle\psi(t)\lvert$. But writing “$(t)$” would saturate the notation, so just keep it mind. Apply the derivative with respect to time $t$ and use the chain rule against ket $\lvert\psi\rangle$ and bra $\langle\psi\lvert$
$$\frac{\mathrm d\rho}{\mathrm dt} = \frac{\mathrm d}{\mathrm dt}\left(\lvert\psi\rangle\langle\psi\lvert\right) = \left(\frac{\mathrm d}{dt}\lvert\psi\rangle\right)\langle\psi\lvert + \lvert\psi\rangle\left(\frac{\mathrm d}{\mathrm dt}\langle\psi\lvert\right)$$
Now, start from the Schrodinger equation: $$i\hbar\frac{\mathrm d}{\mathrm dt}\lvert\psi\rangle = H\lvert\psi\rangle$$
