Extending thermodynamic laws to quantum systems is perhaps one of the most thrilling and contemporary challenges in physics today. Understanding how quantum resources interplay with thermodynamic quantities can be crucial for correctly designing and analyzing quantum devices such as quantum computers and quantum control systems. At the heart of this quest is the concept of “work,” a fundamental yet elusive quantity in the quantum context.
Describing work in quantum systems has sparked intense debate and numerous inquiries among researchers worldwide. Recently, a significant claim suggested that no existing protocol could measure quantum work while adhering to standard physical principles, indicating a possible incompatibility between quantum mechanics and thermodynamics. However, in one of our recent results, we presented a solution for this incompatibility.
We demonstrated that by defining work as a two-time quantum observable (that we deemed OBS protocol), we can reconcile the principles of quantum mechanics with those of thermodynamics. This finding opens up exciting new avenues for research, but many crucial questions remain unanswered:
• Can the OBS protocol highlight the unique advantages of quantum resources over classical results?
• Under what conditions does the OBS measurement of work deviate from classical limits?
• How can we harness quantum entanglement and coherence to maximize work extraction in quantum systems or reduce work fluctuations?
Project Goals
This project aims to explore and answer these pressing questions by systematically testing and classifying various scenarios to enhance work statistics. We will employ a time-dependent quantum oscillator as our primary model due to its versatility and ability to provide exact analytical solutions. This simple yet powerful model is widely applicable across different areas of quantum physics, making it an ideal platform for pioneering new ideas.
References
Pinto Silva, T. A., & Gelbwaser-Klimovsky, D. (2024). Quantum work: Reconciling quantum mechanics and thermodynamics. Physical Review Research, 6(2), L022036.
