The fundamental constraints on population dynamics generated by Markovian thermal processes.
TITLE: Fundamental Constraints of Quantum Thermodynamics in the Markovian Regime
SPEAKER: Dr Kamil Korzekwa. http://kamilkorzekwa.com/
AFFILIATION: Quantum Resources Group, Jagiellonian University, Kraków, Poland
TOPIC: Quantum Thermodynamics
ABSTRACT
Typical microscopic derivations of the dynamics of a finite-dimensional quantum system interacting with a large thermal bath lead to a master equation with a covariant Lindbladian that obeys the second law of thermodynamics.
In this talk I will present the fundamental constraints on population dynamics generated by all such Markovian thermal processes based on a newly introduced concept of continuous thermo-majorisation. More precisely, given the initial population of the system in the energy eigenbasis, I will state the necessary and sufficient conditions for the existence of a Markovian thermal process that transforms the system into a state with a given final population. This will provide an exhaustive H-type theorem in terms of a continuous family of entropic functions that need to monotonically increase during the dynamics.
I will also present an algorithm that in a finite number of steps allows one to construct the full cone of population vectors achievable from a given initial state. Moreover, I will demonstrate that all such vectors can be obtained from the initial state by a universal set of elementary thermal controls given by two-level partial thermalisations. Finally, I will employ these results to investigate optimal work extraction and cooling processes, illustrating the role that memory effects play in thermodynamic protocols.
PRESENTED BY: Centre for Quantum Software and Information, University of Technology Sydney, Australia. https://www.uts.edu.au/research/centre-quantum-software-and-information
HOSTED BY: Dr Mária Kieferová. https://profiles.uts.edu.au/maria.kieferova
