Related Experiment Video
Updated: May 18, 2026

11:21
Cooling an Optically Trapped Ultracold Fermi Gas by Periodical Driving
Published on: March 30, 2017
Zon-Cohen singularity and negative inverse temperature in a trapped-particle limit
1Department of Basic Science, The University of Tokyo, Tokyo, 153-8902, Japan.
Physical Review. E, Statistical, Nonlinear, and Soft Matter Physics
|September 26, 2012
Summary
We analyzed a Brownian particle
Area of Science:
- Statistical mechanics
- Non-equilibrium thermodynamics
Background:
- Brownian motion is fundamental to understanding particle dynamics.
- Fluctuation theorems describe statistical properties in non-equilibrium systems.
Purpose of the Study:
- Investigate work and heat dissipation for a Brownian particle in a moving periodic potential.
- Analyze statistical properties under specific potential conditions.
Main Methods:
- Boundary layer analysis was employed for large potential periods and depths.
- Calculated the cumulant generating function and biased distribution function.
Main Results:
- Derived key statistical properties of work and heat.
- Identified a Zon-Cohen singularity in an extended fluctuation theorem.
Conclusions:
- The study provides insights into rare trajectories and negative inverse temperature.
- Offers a new perspective on fluctuation theorems in non-equilibrium statistical mechanics.
Related Concept Videos
Atomic Nuclei: Nuclear Spin State Population Distribution
Near absolute zero temperatures, in the presence of a magnetic field, the majority of nuclei prefer the lower energy spin-up state to the higher energy spin-down state. As temperatures increase, the energy from thermal collisions distributes the spins more equally between the two states. The Boltzmann distribution equation gives the ratio of the number of spins predicted in the spin −½ (N−) and spin +½ (N+) states.
Limits of the First Law of Thermodynamics
Spontaneous processes, like a rock falling to the ground or sodium reacting with chlorine, occur without external work and often involve a decrease in the system‘s energy. However, certain endothermic processes, such as the dissolution of sodium chloride in water, occur spontaneously even though they increase the energy of the system. This limitation suggests that the First Law of Thermodynamics, which states that the total energy of a system is constant in an isolated system, cannot fully...
Zeroth Law of Thermodynamics
Experimentally, if object A is in equilibrium with object B, and object B is in equilibrium with object C, then object A is in equilibrium with object C. That statement of transitivity is called the "zeroth law of thermodynamics." For example, a cold metal block and a hot metal block are both placed on a metal plate at room temperature. Eventually, the cold block and the plate will be in thermal equilibrium. In addition, the hot block and the plate will be in thermal equilibrium. By the zeroth...
The Zeroth Law of Thermodynamics
Systems in mechanical equilibrium exert equal pressure on the separating wall. Similarly, systems in thermal equilibrium share a common thermodynamic property: temperature.Temperature is a measure of the average kinetic energy of particles within a system. More generally, it reflects the internal energy state of the system. The higher the temperature, the more energy a system has, given that other variables, such as volume and pressure, remain constant. However, temperature is not a form of...
Equilibrium Conditions for a Particle
When an object is in equilibrium, it is either at rest or moving with a constant velocity. There are two types of equilibrium: static and dynamic. Static equilibrium occurs when an object is at rest, while dynamic equilibrium occurs when an object is moving with a constant velocity. In both cases, there must be a balance of forces acting on the object.
To understand the concept of equilibrium, let us first consider the forces acting on an object. When different forces act on an object, they can...
To understand the concept of equilibrium, let us first consider the forces acting on an object. When different forces act on an object, they can...
Superconductor
A substance that reaches superconductivity, a state in which magnetic fields cannot penetrate, and there is no electrical resistance, is referred to as a superconductor. In 1911, Heike Kamerlingh Onnes of Leiden University, a Dutch physicist, observed a relation between the temperature and the resistance of the element mercury. The mercury sample was then cooled in liquid helium to study the linear dependence of resistance on temperature. It was observed that, as the temperature decreased, the...

