Details
| Original language | English |
|---|---|
| Journal | Quantum |
| Volume | 4 |
| Publication status | Published - 20 Feb 2020 |
| Externally published | Yes |
Abstract
Fluctuation theorems impose constraints on possible work extraction probabilities in thermodynamical processes. These constraints are stronger than the usual second law, which is concerned only with average values. Here, we show that such constraints, expressed in the form of the Jarzysnki equality, can be bypassed if one allows for the use of catalysts—additional degrees of freedom that may become correlated with the system from which work is extracted, but whose reduced state remains unchanged so that they can be re-used. This violation can be achieved both for small systems but also for macroscopic many-body systems, and leads to positive work extraction per particle with finite probability from macroscopic states in equilibrium. In addition to studying such violations for a single system, we also discuss the scenario in which many parties use the same catalyst to induce local transitions. We show that there exist catalytic processes that lead to highly correlated work distributions, expected to have implications for stochastic and quantum thermodynamics.
ASJC Scopus subject areas
- Physics and Astronomy(all)
- Atomic and Molecular Physics, and Optics
- Physics and Astronomy(all)
- Physics and Astronomy (miscellaneous)
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In: Quantum, Vol. 4, 20.02.2020.
Research output: Contribution to journal › Article › Research › peer review
}
TY - JOUR
T1 - By-passing fluctuation theorems with a catalyst
AU - Boes, P.
AU - Gallego, R.
AU - Ng, N. H.Y.
AU - Eisert, J.
AU - Wilming, H.
N1 - Funding Information: Acknowledgements. We thank Markus P. Müller and Alvaro M. Alhambra for valuable discussions and anonymous referees for interesting comments. P. B. acknowledges support from the John Templeton Foundation. H. W. acknowledges support from the Swiss National Science Foundation through SNSF project No. 200020 165843 and through the National Centre of Competence in Research Quantum Science and Technology (QSIT). N. H. Y. N. acknowledges support from the Alexander von Humboldt Foundation. R. G. has been supported by the DFG (GA 2184/2-1). J. E. acknowledges support by the DFG (FOR 2724), dedicated to quantum thermodynamics, and the FQXi.
PY - 2020/2/20
Y1 - 2020/2/20
N2 - Fluctuation theorems impose constraints on possible work extraction probabilities in thermodynamical processes. These constraints are stronger than the usual second law, which is concerned only with average values. Here, we show that such constraints, expressed in the form of the Jarzysnki equality, can be bypassed if one allows for the use of catalysts—additional degrees of freedom that may become correlated with the system from which work is extracted, but whose reduced state remains unchanged so that they can be re-used. This violation can be achieved both for small systems but also for macroscopic many-body systems, and leads to positive work extraction per particle with finite probability from macroscopic states in equilibrium. In addition to studying such violations for a single system, we also discuss the scenario in which many parties use the same catalyst to induce local transitions. We show that there exist catalytic processes that lead to highly correlated work distributions, expected to have implications for stochastic and quantum thermodynamics.
AB - Fluctuation theorems impose constraints on possible work extraction probabilities in thermodynamical processes. These constraints are stronger than the usual second law, which is concerned only with average values. Here, we show that such constraints, expressed in the form of the Jarzysnki equality, can be bypassed if one allows for the use of catalysts—additional degrees of freedom that may become correlated with the system from which work is extracted, but whose reduced state remains unchanged so that they can be re-used. This violation can be achieved both for small systems but also for macroscopic many-body systems, and leads to positive work extraction per particle with finite probability from macroscopic states in equilibrium. In addition to studying such violations for a single system, we also discuss the scenario in which many parties use the same catalyst to induce local transitions. We show that there exist catalytic processes that lead to highly correlated work distributions, expected to have implications for stochastic and quantum thermodynamics.
UR - http://www.scopus.com/inward/record.url?scp=85092273834&partnerID=8YFLogxK
U2 - 10.22331/q-2020-02-20-231
DO - 10.22331/q-2020-02-20-231
M3 - Article
AN - SCOPUS:85092273834
VL - 4
JO - Quantum
JF - Quantum
SN - 2521-327X
ER -