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Updated: Apr 24, 2026
14:58
Silicon Metal-oxide-semiconductor Quantum Dots for Single-electron Pumping
Published on: June 3, 2015
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Experimental realization of a Szilard engine with a single electron
Jonne V Koski1, Ville F Maisi2, Jukka P Pekola3
1Low Temperature Laboratory, Aalto University, FI-00076, Aalto, Finland; jonne.koski@aalto.fi.
Summary
Researchers created an electronic Maxwell demon (MD) using a single-electron box. This device extracts heat from a reservoir, converting it into free energy per bit of information, demonstrating the Landauer principle.
Area of Science:
- Thermodynamics
- Information Theory
- Quantum Computing
Background:
- The Landauer principle links information and thermodynamics, stating a minimum energy cost for erasing information.
- Maxwell's demon (MD) is a thought experiment exploring the second law of thermodynamics and information's role.
- Previous MD realizations were often complex or lacked direct electronic control.
Purpose of the Study:
- To experimentally demonstrate the Landauer limit in an electronic system.
- To realize a functional Maxwell demon (MD) using a single-electron box.
- To investigate the thermodynamic cost of information processing in a nanoscale device.
Main Methods:
- Utilized a single-electron box as a nanoscale engine.
- Operated the device as a Szilard engine to process information.
- Measured heat extraction and information creation at the single-bit level.
Main Results:
- Successfully implemented an electronic Maxwell demon (MD).
- Demonstrated heat extraction of kBT ln 2 per bit of information.
- Verified the Landauer principle in a controllable electronic system.
Conclusions:
- The electronic MD validates the thermodynamic cost of information processing.
- Single-electron devices can serve as platforms for fundamental thermodynamic studies.
- This work bridges information theory and experimental thermodynamics at the nanoscale.
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