Related Experiment Video
Updated: Jun 27, 2026
11:34
Scattering And Absorption of Light in Planetary Regoliths
Published on: July 1, 2019
Transmission of information through mesoscopic scattering systems
1Department of Applied Physics and Physics, Yale University, USA. eric@physics.technion.ac.il
The European Physical Journal. E, Soft Matter
|December 4, 2008
Summary
Information theory concepts like entropy and channel capacity are quantified for quantum mesoscopic systems. A universal upper bound for channel capacity was discovered, independent of quantum statistics.
Area of Science:
- Quantum information theory
- Mesoscopic physics
- Statistical mechanics
Background:
- Shannon's information theory provides a framework for information storage and transmission using entropy, mutual information, and channel capacity.
- Quantum mesoscopic systems offer a platform to explore fundamental limits of information processing.
Purpose of the Study:
- To calculate information-theoretic quantities for quantum mesoscopic systems.
- To establish a relationship between mutual information and thermal conductance in one-dimensional systems.
- To derive a universal upper bound for channel capacity in such systems.
Main Methods:
- Calculation of entropy, mutual information, and channel capacity using scattering parameters.
- Relating mutual information to thermal conductance for a one-dimensional system.
- Developing a general framework utilizing symplectic structure to connect system entropy with the scattering matrix.
Main Results:
- Mutual information is shown to be directly related to thermal conductance in one-dimensional quantum systems.
- A universal upper bound for channel capacity (C ≤ π√(2P/3h)) is derived, independent of quantum statistics.
- A framework is established to link quantum mesoscopic system entropy to its scattering matrix.
Conclusions:
- The study successfully quantifies information-theoretic properties of quantum mesoscopic systems.
- The derived universal bound offers fundamental insights into the limits of quantum information transmission.
- The proposed framework provides a novel approach to understanding entropy in mesoscopic systems via scattering properties.
Related Concept Videos
01:15Transmission Electron Microscopy
In 1931, physicist Ernst Ruska—building on the idea that magnetic fields can direct an electron beam just as lenses can direct a beam of light in an optical microscope—developed the first prototype of the electron microscope. This development led to the development of the field of electron microscopy. In the transmission electron microscope (TEM), electrons are produced by a hot tungsten element and accelerated by a potential difference in an electron gun, which gives them up to 400 keV in...
01:07Scanning Electron Microscopy
A scanning electron microscope (SEM) is used to study the surface features of a sample by using an electron beam that scans the sample surface in a two-dimensional manner. Typically, areas between ~1 centimeter to 5 micrometers in width can be imaged. SEM can be used to image bacteria, viruses, tissues as well as larger samples like insects. Conventional SEM gives a magnification ranging from 20X to 30,000X and spatial resolution of 50 to 100 nanometers.
Fundamental Principles
Accelerated...
Fundamental Principles
Accelerated...
01:22Overview of Microscopy Techniques
The early pioneers of microscopy opened a window into the invisible world of microorganisms. In 1830, Joseph Jackson Lister created an essentially modern light microscope. The 20th century saw the development of microscopes that leveraged nonvisible light, such as fluorescence microscopy that uses an ultraviolet light source and electron microscopy that uses short-wavelength electron beams. These advances significantly improved magnification, image resolution, and contrast. By comparison, the...
01:25Overview of Electron Microscopy
The wavelengths of visible light ultimately limit the maximum theoretical resolution of images created by light microscopes. Most light microscopes can only magnify 1000X, and a few can magnify up to 1500X. Electrons, like electromagnetic radiation, can behave like waves, but with wavelengths of 0.005 nm, they produce significantly greater resolution up to 0.05 nm as compared to 500 nm for visible light. An electron microscope (EM) can create a sharp image that is magnified up to 2,000,000X.