Related Experiment Video
Updated: May 16, 2026
08:43
A Fluorescence Fluctuation Spectroscopy Assay of Protein-Protein Interactions at Cell-Cell Contacts
Published on: December 1, 2018
Test of the Jarzynski and Crooks fluctuation relations in an electronic system
1Low Temperature Laboratory, OVLL, Aalto University, PO Box 15100, FI-00076 Aalto, Finland.
Physical Review Letters
|December 11, 2012
Summary
Researchers experimentally studied nonequilibrium thermodynamics in a metallic single-electron box. Dissipated energy distributions from electron transfers confirmed Jarzynski and Crooks fluctuation relations, matching theoretical predictions.
Area of Science:
- Quantum thermodynamics
- Mesoscopic physics
- Single-electron devices
Background:
- Advances in micro/nanoscale manipulation enable probing systems where thermal fluctuations are significant.
- Nonequilibrium thermodynamics investigates systems driven away from thermal equilibrium.
- Classical two-state systems offer simplified models for complex thermodynamic phenomena.
Purpose of the Study:
- To experimentally investigate nonequilibrium thermodynamics in a classical two-state system.
- To measure and analyze the distribution of dissipated energy during electron transfer.
- To validate theoretical predictions using experimental data.
Main Methods:
- Utilized a metallic single-electron box as the experimental system.
- Performed high-statistical-accuracy measurements of energy dissipation.
- Transferred single electrons between the box electrodes to induce nonequilibrium conditions.
Main Results:
- Measured distributions of dissipated energy during single-electron transfer.
- Experimental results demonstrated adherence to Jarzynski and Crooks fluctuation relations.
- Theoretical predictions accurately reproduced experimental distributions without fitting parameters.
Conclusions:
- The metallic single-electron box serves as a valid experimental platform for studying nonequilibrium thermodynamics.
- Jarzynski and Crooks fluctuation relations are experimentally verified in this mesoscopic system.
- The comprehensive microscopic theory provides accurate predictions for energy dissipation in such systems.
Related Concept Videos
01:10Propagation of Uncertainty from Systematic Error
The atomic mass of an element varies due to the relative ratio of its isotopes. A sample's relative proportion of oxygen isotopes influences its average atomic mass. For instance, if we were to measure the atomic mass of oxygen from a sample, the mass would be a weighted average of the isotopic masses of oxygen in that sample. Since a single sample is not likely to perfectly reflect the true atomic mass of oxygen for all the molecules of oxygen on Earth, the mass we obtain from this particular...
00:59Propagation of Uncertainty from Random Error
An experiment often consists of more than a single step. In this case, measurements at each step give rise to uncertainty. Because the measurements occur in successive steps, the uncertainty in one step necessarily contributes to that in the subsequent step. As we perform statistical analysis on these types of experiments, we must learn to account for the propagation of uncertainty from one step to the next. The propagation of uncertainty depends on the type of arithmetic operation performed on...
01:17Wald-Wolfowitz Runs Test II
The Wald-Wolfowitz runs test, commonly referred to as the runs test, is a nonparametric test used to assess the randomness of ordered data. The test evaluates the number of runs, which are consecutive sequences of similar elements within the data. If the number of runs is significantly higher or lower than expected, the data is considered non-random, indicating a detectable pattern or structure.
For binary data, runs are identified using symbols such as + and −, or equivalently, 1s and 0s. In...
For binary data, runs are identified using symbols such as + and −, or equivalently, 1s and 0s. In...
02:46Uncertainty in Measurement: Reading Instruments
Counting is the type of measurement that is free from uncertainty, provided the number of objects being counted does not change during the process. Such measurements result in exact numbers. By counting the eggs in a carton, for instance, one can determine exactly how many eggs are there in the carton. Similarly, the numbers of defined quantities are also exact. For example, 1 foot is exactly 12 inches, 1 inch is exactly 2.54 centimeters, and 1 gram is exactly 0.001 kilograms. Quantities...
01:24BIBO stability of continuous and discrete -time systems
System stability is a fundamental concept in signal processing, often assessed using convolution. For a system to be considered bounded-input bounded-output (BIBO) stable, any bounded input signal must produce a bounded output signal. A bounded input signal is one where the modulus does not exceed a certain constant at any point in time.
To determine the BIBO stability, the convolution integral is utilized when a bounded continuous-time input is applied to a Linear Time-Invariant (LTI) system.
To determine the BIBO stability, the convolution integral is utilized when a bounded continuous-time input is applied to a Linear Time-Invariant (LTI) system.
01:23Stability of Equilibrium Configuration
Understanding the stability of equilibrium configurations is a fundamental part of mechanical engineering. In any system, there are three distinct types of equilibrium: stable, neutral, and unstable.
A stable equilibrium occurs when a system tends to return to its original position when given a small displacement, and the potential energy is at its minimum. An example of a stable equilibrium is when a cantilever beam is fixed at one end and a weight is attached to the other end. If the weight...
A stable equilibrium occurs when a system tends to return to its original position when given a small displacement, and the potential energy is at its minimum. An example of a stable equilibrium is when a cantilever beam is fixed at one end and a weight is attached to the other end. If the weight...