Showing papers on "Non-equilibrium thermodynamics published in 2017"
TL;DR: In this paper, the authors introduce some of the theories used to describe these steady-state flows in a variety of mesoscopic or nanoscale systems, including linear response theory with or without magnetic fields, Landauer scattering theory in the linear response regime and far from equilibrium.
591 citations
TL;DR: In this paper, a recently conjectured finite-time thermodynamic uncertainty relation for steady-state current fluctuations is proved based on a quadratic bound to the large deviation rate function for currents in the limit of a large ensemble of many copies.
Abstract: The thermodynamic uncertainty relation offers a universal energetic constraint on the relative magnitude of current fluctuations in nonequilibrium steady states. However, it has only been derived for long observation times. Here, we prove a recently conjectured finite-time thermodynamic uncertainty relation for steady-state current fluctuations. Our proof is based on a quadratic bound to the large deviation rate function for currents in the limit of a large ensemble of many copies.
223 citations
TL;DR: It is shown that this relation holds not only for the long-time limit of fluctuations, as described by large deviation theory, but also for fluctuations on arbitrary finite time scales, which facilitates applying the thermodynamic uncertainty relation to single molecule experiments, for which infinite time scales are not accessible.
Abstract: For fluctuating currents in nonequilibrium steady states, the recently discovered thermodynamic uncertainty relation expresses a fundamental relation between their variance and the overall entropic cost associated with the driving. We show that this relation holds not only for the long-time limit of fluctuations, as described by large deviation theory, but also for fluctuations on arbitrary finite time scales. This generalization facilitates applying the thermodynamic uncertainty relation to single molecule experiments, for which infinite time scales are not accessible. Importantly, often this finite-time variant of the relation allows inferring a bound on the entropy production that is even stronger than the one obtained from the long-time limit. We illustrate the relation for the fluctuating work that is performed by a stochastically switching laser tweezer on a trapped colloidal particle.
174 citations
TL;DR: In this article, a generalized hydrodynamic description applies, according to which the system can locally be represented by space-and time-dependent stationary states, where magnetization displays an unusual behavior: depending on the initial state, its profile may exhibit abrupt jumps that can not be predicted directly from the standard hydrodynamics equations.
Abstract: We consider the nonequilibrium protocol where two semi-infinite gapped XXZ chains, initially prepared in different equilibrium states, are suddenly joined together At large times, a generalized hydrodynamic description applies, according to which the system can locally be represented by space- and time-dependent stationary states The magnetization displays an unusual behavior: depending on the initial state, its profile may exhibit abrupt jumps that can not be predicted directly from the standard hydrodynamic equations and which signal nonballistic spin transport We ascribe this phenomenon to the structure of the local conservation laws and make a prediction for the exact location of the jumps We find that the jumps propagate at the velocities of the heaviest quasiparticles By means of time-dependent density matrix renormalization group simulations we show that our theory yields a complete description of the long-time steady profiles of conserved charges, currents, and local correlations
151 citations
TL;DR: An Itô stochastic differential equation is derived for entropy production in nonequilibrium Langevin processes by introducing a random-time transformation, which leads to an exact uncertainty equality relating the Fano factor of entropy production and the Fanos factor of the random time.
Abstract: We derive an Ito stochastic differential equation for entropy production in nonequilibrium Langevin processes. Introducing a random-time transformation, entropy production obeys a one-dimensional drift-diffusion equation, independent of the underlying physical model. This transformation allows us to identify generic properties of entropy production. It also leads to an exact uncertainty equality relating the Fano factor of entropy production and the Fano factor of the random time, which we also generalize to non-steady-state conditions.
138 citations
TL;DR: In this paper, the authors extended the emerging framework of stochastic thermodynamics to active matter and provided consistent definitions of thermodynamic quantities such as work, energy, heat, entropy, and production at the level of single, single, Stochastic trajectories and derived related fluctuation relations.
Abstract: Active biological systems reside far from equilibrium, dissipating heat even in their steady state, thus requiring an extension of conventional equilibrium thermodynamics and statistical mechanics. In this Letter, we have extended the emerging framework of stochastic thermodynamics to active matter. In particular, for the active Ornstein-Uhlenbeck model, we have provided consistent definitions of thermodynamic quantities such as work, energy, heat, entropy, and entropy production at the level of single, stochastic trajectories and derived related fluctuation relations. We have developed a generalization of the Clausius inequality, which is valid even in the presence of the non-Hamiltonian dynamics underlying active matter systems. We have illustrated our results with explicit numerical studies.
137 citations
TL;DR: In this article, the authors present a general theoretical framework for multiphase porous electrode theory, implemented in an open-source software package called "MPET", based on electrochemical nonequilibrium thermodynamics.
Abstract: Porous electrode theory, pioneered by John Newman and collaborators, provides a useful macroscopic description of battery cycling behavior, rooted in microscopic physical models rather than empirical circuit approximations. The theory relies on a separation of length scales to describe transport in the electrode coupled to intercalation within small active material particles. Typically, the active materials are described as solid solution particles with transport and surface reactions driven by concentration fields, and the thermodynamics are incorporated through fitting of the open circuit potential. This approach has fundamental limitations, however, and does not apply to phase-separating materials, for which the voltage is an emergent property of inhomogeneous concentration profiles, even in equilibrium. Here, we present a general theoretical framework for "multiphase porous electrode theory" implemented in an open-source software package called "MPET", based on electrochemical nonequilibrium thermodynamics. Cahn-Hilliard-type phase field models are used to describe the solid active materials with suitably generalized models of interfacial reaction kinetics. Classical concentrated solution theory is implemented for the electrolyte phase, and Newman's porous electrode theory is recovered in the limit of solid-solution active materials with Butler-Volmer kinetics. More general, quantum-mechanical models of Faradaic reactions are also included, such as Marcus-Hush-Chidsey kinetics for electron transfer at metal electrodes, extended for concentrated solutions. The full equations and numerical algorithms are described, and a variety of example calculations are presented to illustrate the novel features of the software compared to existing battery models.
129 citations
TL;DR: A widely applicable mechanism for a similar effect, the Markovian Mpemba effect, is presented, a sufficient condition for its appearance is derived, and it is demonstrated explicitly in three paradigmatic systems: the Ising model, diffusion dynamics, and a three-state system.
Abstract: Under certain conditions, it takes a shorter time to cool a hot system than to cool the same system initiated at a lower temperature. This phenomenon-the "Mpemba effect"-was first observed in water and has recently been reported in other systems. Whereas several detail-dependent explanations were suggested for some of these observations, no common underlying mechanism is known. Using the theoretical framework of nonequilibrium thermodynamics, we present a widely applicable mechanism for a similar effect, the Markovian Mpemba effect, derive a sufficient condition for its appearance, and demonstrate it explicitly in three paradigmatic systems: the Ising model, diffusion dynamics, and a three-state system. In addition, we predict an inverse Markovian Mpemba effect in heating: Under proper conditions, a cold system can heat up faster than the same system initiated at a higher temperature. We numerically demonstrate that this inverse effect is expected in a 1D antiferromagnet nearest-neighbors interacting Ising chain in the presence of an external magnetic field. Our results shed light on the mechanism behind anomalous heating and cooling and suggest that it should be possible to observe these in a variety of systems.
114 citations
TL;DR: In this paper, an out-of-equilibrium theory was developed that captures the full dynamic evolution of the electronic and phononic populations and provides a microscopic description of the transfer of energy delivered optically into electrons to the lattice.
Abstract: Ultrafast laser excitation of a metal causes correlated, highly nonequilibrium dynamics of electronic and ionic degrees of freedom, which are, however, only poorly captured by the widely used two-temperature model. Here we develop an out-of-equilibrium theory that captures the full dynamic evolution of the electronic and phononic populations and provides a microscopic description of the transfer of energy delivered optically into electrons to the lattice. All essential nonequilibrium energy processes, such as electron-phonon and phonon-phonon interactions are taken into account. Moreover, as all required quantities are obtained from first-principles calculations, the model gives a realistic and material-dependent description of the relaxation dynamics without the need for fitted parameters. We apply the model to FePt and show that the detailed relaxation is out-of-equilibrium for ps.
95 citations
TL;DR: In this paper, the authors numerically study the dynamics after a parameter quench in the one-dimensional transverse-field Ising model with long-range interactions (alpha 1/r(alpha) with distance r), for finite chains and also directly in the thermodynamic limit.
Abstract: We numerically study the dynamics after a parameter quench in the one-dimensional transverse -field Ising model with long-range interactions (alpha 1/r(alpha) with distance r), for finite chains and also directly in the thermodynamic limit. In nonequilibrium, i.e., before the system settles into a thermal state, we find a long-lived regime that is characterized by a prethermal value of the magnetization, which in general differs from its thermal value. We find that the ferromagnetic phase is stabilized dynamically: as a function of the quench parameter, the prethermal magnetization shows a transition between a symmetry -broken and a symmetric phase, even for those values of alpha for which no finite -temperature transition occurs in equilibrium. The dynamical critical point is shifted with respect to the equilibrium one, and the shift is found to depend on alpha as well as on the quench parameters.
90 citations
TL;DR: A new technique is developed to calculate the diagonal Renyi entropy in the quench action formalism and this approach provides a very simple proof of the long-standing issue that, for integrable systems, the diagonal entropy is half of the thermodynamic one.
Abstract: Entropy is a fundamental concept in equilibrium statistical mechanics, yet its origin in the nonequilibrium dynamics of isolated quantum systems is not fully understood. A strong consensus is emerging around the idea that the stationary thermodynamic entropy is the von Neumann entanglement entropy of a large subsystem embedded in an infinite system. Also motivated by cold-atom experiments, here we consider the generalization to R\'enyi entropies. We develop a new technique to calculate the diagonal R\'enyi entropy in the quench action formalism. In the spirit of the replica treatment for the entanglement entropy, the diagonal R\'enyi entropies are generalized free energies evaluated over a thermodynamic macrostate which depends on the R\'enyi index and, in particular, is not the same state describing von Neumann entropy. The technical reason for this perhaps surprising result is that the evaluation of the moments of the diagonal density matrix shifts the saddle point of the quench action. An interesting consequence is that different R\'enyi entropies encode information about different regions of the spectrum of the postquench Hamiltonian. Our approach provides a very simple proof of the long-standing issue that, for integrable systems, the diagonal entropy is half of the thermodynamic one and it allows us to generalize this result to the case of arbitrary R\'enyi entropy.
TL;DR: This work proposes a resource theory of quantum thermodynamics without a background temperature, so that no states at all come for free, and applies this resource theory to the case of many non-interacting systems, and shows that states are classified by their entropy and average energy.
Abstract: Several recent results on thermodynamics have been obtained using the tools of quantum information theory and resource theories. So far, the resource theories utilized to describe thermodynamics have assumed the existence of an infinite thermal reservoir, by declaring that thermal states at some background temperature come for free. Here, we propose a resource theory of quantum thermodynamics without a background temperature, so that no states at all come for free. We apply this resource theory to the case of many noninteracting systems and show that all quantum states are classified by their entropy and average energy, even arbitrarily far away from equilibrium. This implies that thermodynamics takes place in a two-dimensional convex set that we call the energy-entropy diagram. The answers to many resource-theoretic questions about thermodynamics can be read off from this diagram, such as the efficiency of a heat engine consisting of finite reservoirs, or the rate of conversion between two states. This allows us to consider a resource theory which puts work and heat on an equal footing, and serves as a model for other resource theories.
TL;DR: In this article, the authors study the statistics of infima, stopping times and passage probabilities of entropy production in nonequilibrium steady states, and show that they are universal for simple colloidal systems and in active molecular processes.
Abstract: We study the statistics of infima, stopping times and passage probabilities of entropy production in nonequilibrium steady states, and show that they are universal. We consider two examples of stopping times: first-passage times of entropy production and waiting times of stochastic processes, which are the times when a system reaches for the first time a given state. Our main results are: (i) the distribution of the global infimum of entropy production is exponential with mean equal to minus Boltzmann's constant; (ii) we find the exact expressions for the passage probabilities of entropy production to reach a given value; (iii) we derive a fluctuation theorem for stopping-time distributions of entropy production. These results have interesting implications for stochastic processes that can be discussed in simple colloidal systems and in active molecular processes. In particular, we show that the timing and statistics of discrete chemical transitions of molecular processes, such as, the steps of molecular motors, are governed by the statistics of entropy production. We also show that the extreme-value statistics of active molecular processes are governed by entropy production, for example, the infimum of entropy production of a motor can be related to the maximal excursion of a motor against the direction of an external force. Using this relation, we make predictions for the distribution of the maximum backtrack depth of RNA polymerases, which follows from our universal results for entropy-production infima.
TL;DR: In this article, a Lagrangian variational formulation for nonequilibrium thermodynamics is presented, where the irreversibility is encoded into a nonlinear phenomenological constraint given by the expression of the entropy production associated to all the irreversible processes involved.
TL;DR: A two-component system of driven Janus colloids is introduced such that collisions induced by external energy sources play the role of temperature, and it is found that this nonequilibrium system quantitatively behaves as if at equilibrium, with collisions caused by differential rhythmic motion between the two components acting as a strict analog to thermal motion.
Abstract: Thermal energy agitates all matter, and its competition with ordering tendencies is a fundamental organizing principle in the physical world; this observation suggests that an effective temperature might emerge when external energy input enhances agitation. However, despite the repeated proposal of this concept based on kinetics for various nonequilibrium systems, the value of an effective temperature as a thermodynamic control parameter has been unclear. Here, we introduce a two-component system of driven Janus colloids, such that collisions induced by external energy sources agitate the system, and we demonstrate quantitative agreement with hallmarks of statistical thermodynamics for binary phase behavior: the archetypal phase diagram with equilibrium critical exponents, Gaussian displacement distributions, and even capillarity. The significance is to demonstrate a class of dynamical conditions under which thermodynamic analysis extends quantitatively to systems that are decidedly nonequilibrium except that the effective temperature differs from the physical temperature.
TL;DR: In this paper, the authors derive three nonequilibrium work relations, including an identity between the free energy difference and the mean work due to the potential of the original system, a Jarzynski-like equality, and the inverse relationship between the dissipated work and the total driving time.
Abstract: In conventional thermodynamics, it is widely acknowledged that the realization of an isothermal process for a system requires a quasistatic controlling protocol. Here we propose and design a strategy to realize a finite-rate isothermal transition from an equilibrium state to another one at the same temperature, which is named the ``shortcut to isothermality.'' By using shortcuts to isothermality, we derive three nonequilibrium work relations, including an identity between the free-energy difference and the mean work due to the potential of the original system, a Jarzynski-like equality, and the inverse relationship between the dissipated work and the total driving time. We numerically test these three relations by considering the motion of a Brownian particle trapped in a harmonic potential and dragged by a time-dependent force.
Book•
01 Mar 2017TL;DR: In this article, the authors present a wide range of topics within the growing field of nonequilibrium molecular dynamics (NEMD) and provide state-of-the-art algorithms and advice for designing reliable NEMD code, as well as examining applications for both atomic and molecular fluids.
Abstract: Written by two specialists with over twenty-five years of experience in the field, this valuable text presents a wide range of topics within the growing field of nonequilibrium molecular dynamics (NEMD). It introduces theories which are fundamental to the field - namely, nonequilibrium statistical mechanics and nonequilibrium thermodynamics - and provides state-of-the-art algorithms and advice for designing reliable NEMD code, as well as examining applications for both atomic and molecular fluids. It discusses homogenous and inhomogenous flows and pays considerable attention to highly confined fluids, such as nanofluidics. In addition to statistical mechanics and thermodynamics, the book covers the themes of temperature and thermodynamic fluxes and their computation, the theory and algorithms for homogenous shear and elongational flows, response theory and its applications, heat and mass transport algorithms, applications in molecular rheology, highly confined fluids (nanofluidics), the phenomenon of slip and how to compute it from basic microscopic principles, and generalized hydrodynamics.
Journal Article•
TL;DR: In this paper, a recently conjectured finite-time thermodynamic uncertainty relation for steady-state current fluctuations is proved based on a quadratic bound to the large deviation rate function for currents in the limit of a large ensemble of many copies.
Abstract: The thermodynamic uncertainty relation offers a universal energetic constraint on the relative magnitude of current fluctuations in nonequilibrium steady states. However, it has only been derived for long observation times. Here, we prove a recently conjectured finite-time thermodynamic uncertainty relation for steady-state current fluctuations. Our proof is based on a quadratic bound to the large deviation rate function for currents in the limit of a large ensemble of many copies.
TL;DR: A variational theory of thermodynamic stability is developed for driven reactive mixtures, based on a nonlinear generalization of the Cahn-Hilliard and Allen-Cahn equations, and the Glansdorff-Prigogine stability criterion is extended for driving chemical work.
Abstract: Motivated by the possibility of electrochemical control of phase separation, a variational theory of thermodynamic stability is developed for driven reactive mixtures, based on a nonlinear generalization of the Cahn–Hilliard and Allen–Cahn equations. The Glansdorff–Prigogine stability criterion is extended for driving chemical work, based on variations of nonequilibrium Gibbs free energy. Linear stability is generally determined by the competition of chemical diffusion and driven autocatalysis. Novel features arise for electrochemical systems, related to controlled total current (galvanostatic operation), concentration-dependent exchange current (Butler–Volmer kinetics), and negative differential reaction resistance (Marcus kinetics). The theory shows how spinodal decomposition can be controlled by solo-autocatalytic charge transfer, with only a single faradaic reaction. Experimental evidence is presented for intercalation and electrodeposition in rechargeable batteries, and further applications are discussed in solid state ionics, electrovariable optics, electrochemical precipitation, and biological pattern formation.
TL;DR: This work uses a simple, analytically solvable, one-dimensional bistable chemical system to demonstrate the validity of the maximum entropy production principle and uses the stochastic least-action principle to derive the entropy production and its role in the stability of nonequilibrium steady states.
Abstract: Far-from-equilibrium thermodynamics underpins the emergence of life, but how has been a long-outstanding puzzle. Best candidate theories based on the maximum entropy production principle could not be unequivocally proven, in part due to complicated physics, unintuitive stochastic thermodynamics, and the existence of alternative theories such as the minimum entropy production principle. Here, we use a simple, analytically solvable, one-dimensional bistable chemical system to demonstrate the validity of the maximum entropy production principle. To generalize to multistable stochastic system, we use the stochastic least-action principle to derive the entropy production and its role in the stability of nonequilibrium steady states. This shows that in a multistable system, all else being equal, the steady state with the highest entropy production is favored, with a number of implications for the evolution of biological, physical, and geological systems.
TL;DR: In this paper, a nonlinear nonholonomic Lagrangian variational formulation for the case of continuous systems is proposed, where the irreversibility is encoded into a non-holonomic constraint given by the expression of entropy production associated to all the irreversible processes involved.
TL;DR: A multi-component discrete Boltzmann model for premixed, nonpremixed, or partially premixed nonequilibrium reactive flows that is suitable for both subsonic and supersonic flows with or without chemical reaction and/or external force.
Abstract: We propose a multi-component discrete Boltzmann model (DBM) for premixed, nonpremixed, or partially premixed nonequilibrium reactive flows. This model is suitable for both subsonic and supersonic flows with or without chemical reaction and/or external force. A two-dimensional sixteen-velocity model is constructed for the DBM. In the hydrodynamic limit, the DBM recovers the modified Navier-Stokes equations for reacting species in a force field. Compared to standard lattice Boltzmann models, the DBM presents not only more accurate hydrodynamic quantities, but also detailed nonequilibrium effects that are essential yet long-neglected by traditional fluid dynamics. Apart from nonequilibrium terms (viscous stress and heat flux) in conventional models, specific hydrodynamic and thermodynamic nonequilibrium quantities (high order kinetic moments and their departure from equilibrium) are dynamically obtained from the DBM in a straightforward way. Due to its generality, the developed methodology is applicable to a wide range of phenomena across many energy technologies, emissions reduction, environmental protection, mining accident prevention, chemical and process industry.
TL;DR: It is shown that the average entropy production quantifies the extent to which the system and bath state is driven away from the conditional equilibrium distribution and that the stochastic entropy production satisfies a generalized Crooks relation and can be used to quantify time asymmetry of correlated nonequilibrium processes.
Abstract: It is known that the equilibrium properties of open classical systems that are strongly coupled to a heat bath are described by a set of thermodynamic potentials related to the system's Hamiltonian of mean force. By adapting this framework to a more general class of nonequilibrium states, we show that the equilibrium properties of the bath can be well defined, even when the system is arbitrarily far from equilibrium and correlated with the bath. These states, which retain a notion of temperature, take the form of conditional equilibrium distributions. For out-of-equilibrium processes we show that the average entropy production quantifies the extent to which the system and bath state is driven away from the conditional equilibrium distribution. In addition, we show that the stochastic entropy production satisfies a generalized Crooks relation and can be used to quantify time asymmetry of correlated nonequilibrium processes. These results naturally extend the familiar properties of entropy production in weakly coupled systems to the strong coupling regime. Experimental measurements of the entropy production at strong coupling could be pursued using optomechanics or trapped-ion systems, which allow strong coupling to be engineered.
TL;DR: By measuring the work required to erase a fraction of a bit of information, the change in entropy is isolated directly, showing that it is compatible with the functional form proposed by Shannon, demonstrating its physical meaning in this context.
Abstract: Stochastic thermodynamics extends classical thermodynamics to small systems in contact with one or more heat baths. It can account for the effects of thermal fluctuations and describe systems far from thermodynamic equilibrium. A basic assumption is that the expression for Shannon entropy is the appropriate description for the entropy of a nonequilibrium system in such a setting. Here we measure experimentally this function in a system that is in local but not global equilibrium. Our system is a micron-scale colloidal particle in water, in a virtual double-well potential created by a feedback trap. We measure the work to erase a fraction of a bit of information and show that it is bounded by the Shannon entropy for a two-state system. Further, by measuring directly the reversibility of slow protocols, we can distinguish unambiguously between protocols that can and cannot reach the expected thermodynamic bounds.
Book•
27 Oct 2017TL;DR: In this article, a broad range of topics including Langevin equations, Levy processes, directed percolation, kinetic roughening and pattern formation are discussed, as well as some modern aspects concerning nonequilibrium phase transitions, and application-oriented topics from a modern perspective.
Abstract: Statistical mechanics has been proven to be successful at describing physical systems at thermodynamic equilibrium. Since most natural phenomena occur in nonequilibrium conditions, the present challenge is to find suitable physical approaches for such conditions: this book provides a pedagogical pathway that explores various perspectives. The use of clear language, and explanatory figures and diagrams to describe models, simulations and experimental findings makes the book a valuable resource for undergraduate and graduate students, and also for lecturers organizing teaching at varying levels of experience in the field. Written in three parts, it covers basic and traditional concepts of nonequilibrium physics, modern aspects concerning nonequilibrium phase transitions, and application-orientated topics from a modern perspective. A broad range of topics is covered, including Langevin equations, Levy processes, directed percolation, kinetic roughening and pattern formation.
TL;DR: In this paper, a general theory of photon-mediated energy and momentum transfer in planar systems out of thermal equilibrium is introduced, based on the combination of the scattering theory and the fluctuational-electrodynamics approach in many-body systems.
Abstract: A general theory of photon-mediated energy and momentum transfer in $N$-body planar systems out of thermal equilibrium is introduced. It is based on the combination of the scattering theory and the fluctuational-electrodynamics approach in many-body systems. By making a Landauer-like formulation of the heat transfer problem, explicit formulas for the energy transmission coefficients between two distinct slabs as well as the self-coupling coefficients are derived and expressed in terms of the reflection and transmission coefficients of the single bodies. We also show how to calculate local equilibrium temperatures in such systems. An analogous formulation is introduced to quantify momentum transfer coefficients describing Casimir-Lifshitz forces out of thermal equilibrium. Forces at thermal equilibrium are readily obtained as a particular case. As an illustration of this general theoretical framework, we show on three-body systems how the presence of a fourth slab can impact equilibrium temperatures in heat-transfer problems and equilibrium positions resulting from the forces acting on the system.
TL;DR: In this article, a frequency-dependent incoherent pump scheme with a square-shaped spectrum was proposed to stabilize a nonequilibrium steady state sharing important features with a zero-temperature equilibrium state with a tunable chemical potential.
Abstract: We introduce a frequency-dependent incoherent pump scheme with a square-shaped spectrum as a way to study strongly correlated photons in arrays of coupled nonlinear resonators. This scheme can be implemented via a reservoir of population-inverted two-level emitters with a broad distribution of transition frequencies. Our proposal is predicted to stabilize a nonequilibrium steady state sharing important features with a zero-temperature equilibrium state with a tunable chemical potential. We confirm the efficiency of our proposal for the Bose-Hubbard model by computing numerically the steady state for finite system sizes: first, we predict the occurrence of a sequence of incompressible Mott-insulator-like states with arbitrary integer densities presenting strong robustness against tunneling and losses. Secondly, for stronger tunneling amplitudes or noninteger densities, the system enters a coherent regime analogous to the superfluid state. In addition to an overall agreement with the zero-temperature equilibrium state, exotic nonequilibrium processes leading to a finite entropy generation are pointed out in specific regions of parameter space. The equilibrium ground state is shown to be recovered by adding frequency-dependent losses. The promise of this improved scheme in view of quantum simulation of the zero-temperature many-body physics is highlighted.
TL;DR: For both systems, the corresponding large deviations are calculated and it is shown that under the condition of detailed balance, the large deviations enables us to derive a non-linear relation between thermodynamic fluxes and free energy driving force.
Abstract: We study stochastic interacting particle systems that model chemical reaction networks on the microscopic scale, converging to the macroscopic reaction rate equation. One abstraction level higher, we also study the ensemble of such particle systems, converging to the corresponding Liouville transport equation. For both systems, we calculate the corresponding large deviations and show that under the condition of detailed balance, the large deviations enables us to derive a non-linear relation between thermodynamic fluxes and free energy driving force.
TL;DR: The history of thermodynamics is traced from its classical to its postmodern forms, and a tutorial and didactic exposition of thermodynamic principles as it pertains to some of the deepest secrets of the universe are presented.
Abstract: Thermodynamics is a physical branch of science that governs the thermal behavior of dynamical systems from those as simple as refrigerators to those as complex as our expanding universe. The laws of thermodynamics involving conservation of energy and nonconservation of entropy are, without a doubt, two of the most useful and general laws in all sciences. The first law of thermodynamics, according to which energy cannot be created or destroyed, merely transformed from one form to another, and the second law of thermodynamics, according to which the usable energy in an adiabatically isolated dynamical system is always diminishing in spite of the fact that energy is conserved, have had an impact far beyond science and engineering. In this paper, we trace the history of thermodynamics from its classical to its postmodern forms, and present a tutorial and didactic exposition of thermodynamics as it pertains to some of the deepest secrets of the universe.
TL;DR: In this paper, the authors formulate thermodynamics as an exclusive consequence of information conservation and derive universal notions of equilibrium, heat and work, Landauer's principle and universal fundamental laws of thermodynamics.
Abstract: Thermodynamics and information have intricate interrelations. Often thermodynamics is considered to be the logical premise to justify that information is physical - through Landauer's principle -, thereby also linking information and thermodynamics. This approach towards information has been instrumental to understand thermodynamics of logical and physical processes, both in the classical and quantum domain. In the present work, we formulate thermodynamics as an exclusive consequence of information conservation. The framework can be applied to the most general situations, beyond the traditional assumptions in thermodynamics: we allow systems and thermal baths to be quantum, of arbitrary sizes and possessing inter-system correlations.
Here, systems and baths are not treated differently, rather both are considered on an equal footing. This leads us to introduce a "temperature"-independent formulation of thermodynamics. We rely on the fact that, for a fixed amount of information, measured by the von Neumann entropy, any system can be transformed to a state with the same entropy that possesses minimal energy. This state, known as a completely passive state, acquires Boltzmann-Gibbs canonical form with an intrinsic temperature. We introduce the notions of bound and free energy and use them to quantify heat and work, respectively. Guided by the principle of information conservation, we develop universal notions of equilibrium, heat and work, Landauer's principle and universal fundamental laws of thermodynamics. We demonstrate that the maximum efficiency of a quantum engine with a finite bath is in general lower than that of an ideal Carnot engine. We introduce a resource theoretic framework for our intrinsic temperature based thermodynamics, within which we address the problem of work extraction and state transformations. Finally, the framework is extended to multiple conserved quantities.