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Thermodynamic control by frequent quantum measurements

Author

Listed:
  • Noam Erez

    (Weizmann Institute of Science)

  • Goren Gordon

    (Weizmann Institute of Science)

  • Mathias Nest

    (Theoretische Chemie, Universitaet Potsdam)

  • Gershon Kurizki

    (Weizmann Institute of Science)

Abstract

Extreme measurements Erez et al. enter uncharted territory with their prediction of the behaviour of a hitherto unexplored quantum mechanical setting in which neither the second law of thermodynamics, nor the common notion that heat always flows from hotter to colder ensembles, can be relied upon. In work compared in the accompanying News and Views piece to a quantum evocation of Maxwell's demon, the processes of quantum measurement appear to control thermodynamical behaviour. The system considered consists of two energy levels surrounded by a 'heat bath' that can supply or soak up any amount of heat. In such two-level quantum systems, the act of making a measurement can cause their relaxation to either slow down (the Zeno effect, where a continuously observed unstable particle never decays), or to speed up (the anti-Zeno effect). The latter effect is associated with a decrease in entropy and temperature of the system and its bath, while the former results in heating and higher entropy. That type of behaviour breaks the standard thermodynamical rules. In practical terms, these anomalies may offer the possibility of very fast control of heat and entropy in quantum systems.

Suggested Citation

  • Noam Erez & Goren Gordon & Mathias Nest & Gershon Kurizki, 2008. "Thermodynamic control by frequent quantum measurements," Nature, Nature, vol. 452(7188), pages 724-727, April.
    • Handle: RePEc:nat:nature:v:452:y:2008:i:7188:d:10.1038_nature06873
    DOI: 10.1038/nature06873
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    Cited by:

    1. Durga Bhaktavatsala Rao Dasari & Sen Yang & Arnab Chakrabarti & Amit Finkler & Gershon Kurizki & Jörg Wrachtrup, 2022. "Anti-Zeno purification of spin baths by quantum probe measurements," Nature Communications, Nature, vol. 13(1), pages 1-10, December.
    2. Allen D. Parks, 2015. "The 1st Law of Thermodynamics for the Mean Energy of a Closed Quantum System in the Aharonov-Vaidman Gauge," Mathematics, MDPI, vol. 3(2), pages 1-16, June.

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