Second Law of Thermodynamics with Discrete Quantum Feedback Control

    Takahiro Sagawa1 and Masahito Ueda1,2

    • 1Department of Physics, Tokyo Institute of Technology, 2-12-1 Ookayama, Meguro-ku, Tokyo 152-8551, Japan
    • 2ERATO Macroscopic Quantum Control Project, JST, 2-11-16 Yayoi, Bunkyo-ku, Tokyo 113-8656, Japan

    Phys. Rev. Lett. 100, 080403 – Published 26 February, 2008

    DOI: https://doi.org/10.1103/PhysRevLett.100.080403

    Abstract

    A new thermodynamic inequality is derived which leads to the maximum work that can be extracted from multi-heat-baths with the assistance of discrete quantum feedback control. The maximum work is determined by the free-energy difference and a generalized mutual information content between the thermodynamic system and the feedback controller. This maximum work can exceed that in conventional thermodynamics and, in the case of a heat cycle with two heat baths, the heat efficiency can be greater than that of the Carnot cycle. The consistency of our results with the second law of thermodynamics is ensured by the fact that work is needed for information processing of the feedback controller.

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