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Quantum heat distribution in thermal relaxation processes.
D S P Salazar1, A M S Macêdo2, G L Vasconcelos3
1Unidade de Educação a Distância e Tecnologia, Universidade Federal Rural de Pernambuco, 52171-900 Recife, Pernambuco, Brazil.
Physical Review. E
|April 3, 2019
Summary
This study analyzes heat exchange in open quantum systems during thermal relaxation with changing temperatures. It provides a new formula for heat distribution, applicable to various quantum systems and validated in the semiclassical limit.
Area of Science:
- Quantum thermodynamics
- Statistical mechanics
- Open quantum systems
Background:
- Understanding heat exchange in quantum systems is crucial for developing quantum technologies.
- Thermal relaxation processes in open quantum systems are often complex and depend on environmental interactions.
Purpose of the Study:
- To analyze the heat exchange distribution in open quantum systems undergoing thermal relaxation.
- To derive a general expression for the heat moment generating function applicable to time-dependent effective temperatures.
Main Methods:
- Utilized a two-point measurement scheme to analyze heat exchange.
- Derived an expression for the heat moment generating function based on the system's partition function and thermalization function.
Main Results:
- Developed a formula for heat distribution in open quantum systems with time-dependent effective temperatures.
- Derived closed-form expressions for heat distribution in free bosonic and fermionic modes.
- Showed that such processes can arise from maximizing entropy production.
Conclusions:
- The derived formula for heat distribution is broadly applicable to various quantum systems.
- The findings are consistent with previous results in the semiclassical limit, validating the approach.
- This work provides a theoretical framework for understanding heat exchange in non-equilibrium quantum thermodynamics.
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