Jarzynski Theorem Extended to Quantum Autonomous Work

Researchers at Peking University have extended fluctuation theorems for autonomous work from the classical regime to the quantum regime. Xiu-Hua Zhao and H. T. Quan, both at Peking University, derived Jarzynski-type and Crooks-type fluctuation theorems for autonomous inclusive work from initial mixed thermal states by performing successive projective measurements. However, quantum noncommutativity prevents a consistent reduction to the nonautonomous counterparts, even in the limit of a large work source and correspondingly negligible backaction. The findings are illustrated with the Dicke model, where a single-mode radiation field and an…