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Published on: March 30, 2017
Effect of quantum collapse on the distribution of work in driven single molecules
Vladimir Chernyak1, Shaul Mukamel
1Corning Incorporated, SP-DV-02-8, Corning, New York, 14831, USA. Chernyakv@corning.com
Abstract:
Two sources of quantum deviations from Jarzynski's celebrated classical relation between the free energy change and the distribution of work are analyzed using an exactly solvable harmonic model: Quantum dynamics retains the Gaussian profile of the distribution and merely gives rise to analytic corrections in variant Planck's over 2pi, whereas quantum measurements (wave function collapse) induce extended power-law tails which fundamentally alter the distribution. These results may be observed in quantum information processing and in experiments involving mechanically or optically driven single quantum objects.
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