Quantum Stochastic Thermodynamics Research Articles

Quantum stochastic thermodynamics: A semiclassical theory in phase space

Quantum stochastic thermodynamics: A semiclassical theory in phase space

Thermodynamics of a single mesoscopic phononic mode

In recent decades, the laws of thermodynamics have been pushed down to smaller and smaller scales, within the theoretical field of stochastic thermodynamics and state-of-the-art experiments performed on microfabricated mesoscopic systems. These measurements concern thermal properties of electrons, photons, and mesoscopic mechanical objects. Here we report on the measurements of thermal fluctuations of a single mechanical mode in equilibrium with a heat reservoir. The device under study is a nanomechanical beam with a first flexural mode resonating at $3.8\phantom{\rule{0.16em}{0ex}}\mathrm{MHz}$, cooled down to temperatures in the range from 100 to $400\phantom{\rule{0.16em}{0ex}}\mathrm{mK}$. The technique is constructed around a microwave optomechanical setup using a cryogenic high electron mobility transistor, and is based on two parametric amplifications implemented in series: an in-built optomechanical ``blue detuned'' pumping plus a traveling wave parametric amplifier stage. We demonstrate our ability to resolve energy fluctuations of the mechanical mode in real time up to the fastest relevant speed given by the mechanical relaxation rate. The energy probability distribution is then exponential, matching the expected Boltzmann distribution. The variance of fluctuations is found to be ${({k}_{B}T)}^{2}$ with no free parameters. Our microwave detection floor is about three times the standard quantum limit at $6\phantom{\rule{0.16em}{0ex}}\mathrm{GHz}$; the resolution of our fastest acquisition tracks reached about $100\phantom{\rule{0.16em}{0ex}}\mathrm{phonons}$, and is directly related to the rather poor optomechanical coupling of the device (${g}_{0}/2\ensuremath{\pi}\ensuremath{\approx}0.5\phantom{\rule{0.16em}{0ex}}\mathrm{Hz}$). This result is deeply in the classical regime, but shall be extended to the quantum case in the future with systems presenting a much larger ${g}_{0}$ (up to $2\ensuremath{\pi}\ifmmode\times\else\texttimes\fi{}250\phantom{\rule{0.16em}{0ex}}\mathrm{Hz}$), potentially reaching the resolution of a single mechanical quantum. We believe that it will open an experimental field, phonon-based quantum stochastic thermodynamics, with fundamental implications for quantum heat transport and macroscopic mechanical quantum coherence.

On a tilted Liouville-master equation of open quantum systems

A tilted Liouville-master equation in Hilbert space is presented for Markovian open quantum systems. We demonstrate that it is the unraveling of the tilted quantum master equation. The latter is widely used in the analysis and calculations of stochastic thermodynamic quantities in quantum stochastic thermodynamics.

Unified approach to stochastic thermodynamics: Application to a quantum heat engine.

In the present study we have developed an alternative formulation for the quantum stochastic thermodynamics based on the c-number Langevin equation for the system-reservoir model. This is analogous to the classical one. Here we have considered both Markovian and non-Markovian dynamics (NMD). Consideration of the NMD is an important issue at the current state of the stochastic thermodynamics. Applying the present formalism, we have carried out a comparative study on the heat absorbed and the change of entropy with time for a linear quantum system and its classical analog for both Markovian and NMD. Here the strength of the thermal noise and its correlation time for the respective cases are the leading quantities to explain any distinguishable feature which may appear with the equilibration kinetics. For another application, we have proposed a formulation with classical look for a quantum stochastic heat engine. Using it we have presented a comparative study on the efficiency and its value at maximum power for a quantum stochastic heat engine and its classical analog. The engines are Carnot like which are coupled with their respective Markovian thermal baths. Here also the noise strength as well as the diffusion constant are the leading quantities to explain any noticeable feature.

Thermodynamics of Quantum Causal Models: An Inclusive, Hamiltonian Approach

Operational quantum stochastic thermodynamics is a recently proposed theory to study the thermodynamics of open systems based on the rigorous notion of a quantum stochastic process or quantum causal model. In there, a stochastic trajectory is defined solely in terms of experimentally accessible measurement results, which serve as the basis to define the corresponding thermodynamic quantities. In contrast to this observer-dependent point of view, a `black box', which evolves unitarily and can simulate a quantum causal model, is constructed here. The quantum thermodynamics of this big isolated system can then be studied using widely accepted arguments from statistical mechanics. It is shown that the resulting definitions of internal energy, heat, work, and entropy have a natural extension to the trajectory level. The canonical choice of them coincides with the proclaimed definitions of operational quantum stochastic thermodynamics, thereby providing strong support in favour of that novel framework. However, a few remaining ambiguities in the definition of stochastic work and heat are also discovered and in light of these findings some other proposals are reconsidered. Finally, it is demonstrated that the first and second law hold for an even wider range of scenarios than previously thought, covering a large class of quantum causal models based solely on a single assumption about the initial system-bath state.

Classical and quantum stochastic thermodynamics

The stochastic thermodynamics provides a framework for the description of systems that are out of thermodynamic equilibrium. It is based on the assumption that the elementary constituents are acted by random forces that generate a stochastic dynamics, which is here represented by a Fokker-Planck-Kramers equation. We emphasize the role of the irreversible probability current, the vanishing of which characterizes the thermodynamic equilibrium and yields a special relation between fluctuation and dissipation. The connection to thermodynamics is obtained by the definition of the energy function and the entropy as well as the rate at which entropy is generated. The extension to quantum systems is provided by a quantum evolution equation which is a canonical quantization of the Fokker-Planck-Kramers equation. An example of an irreversible systems is presented which shows a nonequilibrium stationary state with an unceasing production of entropy. A relationship between the fluxes and the path integral is also presented.

Group-theoretical approach to the calculation of quantum work distribution

Usually the calculation of work distributions in an arbitrary nonequilibrium process in a quantum system, especially in a quantum many-body system is extremely cumbersome. For all quantum systems described by quadratic Hamiltonians, we invent a universal method for solving the work distribution of quantum systems in an arbitrary driving process by utilizing the group-representation theory. This method enables us to efficiently calculate work distributions where previous methods fail. In some specific models, such as the time-dependent harmonic oscillator, the dynamical Casimir effect, and the transverse XY model, the exact and analytical solutions of work distributions in an arbitrary nonequilibrium process are obtained. Our work initiates the study of quantum stochastic thermodynamics based on group-representation theory.

Repeated Interactions and Quantum Stochastic Thermodynamics at Strong Coupling.

The thermodynamic framework of repeated interactions is generalized to an arbitrary open quantum system in contact with a heat bath. Based on these findings, the theory is then extended to arbitrary measurements performed on the system. This constitutes a direct experimentally testable framework in strong coupling quantum thermodynamics. By construction, it provides many quantum stochastic processes and quantum causal models with a consistent thermodynamic interpretation. The setting can be further used, for instance, to rigorously investigate the interplay between non-Markovianity and nonequilibrium thermodynamics.

Operational approach to quantum stochastic thermodynamics.

We set up a framework for quantum stochastic thermodynamics based solely on experimentally controllable but otherwise arbitrary interventions at discrete times. Using standard assumptions about the system-bath dynamics and insights from the repeated interaction framework, we define internal energy, heat, work, and entropy at the trajectory level. The validity of the first law (at the trajectory level) and the second law (on average) is established. The theory naturally allows one to treat incomplete information and it is able to smoothly interpolate between a trajectory-based and an ensemble level description. We use our theory to compute the thermodynamic efficiency of recent experiments reporting on the stabilization of photon number states using real-time quantum feedback control. Special attention is paid to limiting cases of our general theory, where we recover or contrast it with previous results. We point out various interesting problems, which the theory is able to address rigorously, such as the detection of quantum effects in thermodynamics.

Entropy production along nonequilibrium quantum jump trajectories

For classical nonequilibrium systems, the separation of the total entropy production into the adiabatic and nonadiabatic contributions is useful for understanding irreversibility in nonequilibrium thermodynamics. In this paper, we formulate quantum analogues for driven open quantum systems describable by quantum jump trajectories by applying a quantum stochastic thermodynamics. Our main conclusions are based on a quantum formulation of the local detailed balance condition.

Quantum-trajectory approach to the stochastic thermodynamics of a forced harmonic oscillator

I formulate a quantum stochastic thermodynamics for the quantum trajectories of a continuously monitored forced harmonic oscillator coupled to a thermal reservoir. Consistent trajectory-dependent definitions are introduced for work, heat, and entropy, through engineering the thermal reservoir from a sequence of two-level systems. Within this formalism the connection between irreversibility and entropy production is analyzed and confirmed by proving a detailed fluctuation theorem for quantum trajectories. Finally, possible experimental verifications are discussed.