Seminars Archive

Work and heat in non equilibrium quantum systems.

Abstract
This talk concerns a possible route to the tangible experimental exploration of quantum thermodynamics, a subject which is the centre of much current attention due to the current control of mesoscopic quantum systems. Following a pedagogical introduction I will demonstrate that a modification of well known phase estimation protocols can be used in order to measure the work and heat distribution of a quantum process thus verifying thermodynamic fluctuation relations. In addition the tools could be used to understand the delicate relationship between energy dissipation and information processing in small quantum systems.