Title: Thermodynamics and Maxwell Demon in an Electronic Circuit
<!--[if gte mso 9]><xml> </xml><![endif]-->Speaker: Prof. Jukka Pekola, Aalto University
Host: Prof. William Halperin
Abstract:
Thermodynamics governs averages in large systems. On the other hand, in small “nano-systems”, temporal energy fluctuations play an important role. In them the dissipated heat and the work performed under non-equilibrium conditions are governed by relatively recently introduced fluctuation relations. We apply these concepts to our experiments on a single-electron box [1,2]. Single-electron circuits provide an illustrative set-up for realizing a Maxwell Demon, where information can be converted into energy; we have recently realized a Szilard Engine which does work that approaches kBT ln(2) in an operation cycle [3].
[1] O.-P. Saira, Y. Yoon, T. Tanttu, M. Möttönen, D. V. Averin, and J. P. Pekola, Test of Jarzynski and Crooks fluctuation relations in an electronic system, Phys. Rev. Lett. 109, 180601 (2012).
[2] J. V. Koski, T. Sagawa, O.-P. Saira, Y. Yoon, A. Kutvonen, P. Solinas, M. Möttönen, T. Ala-Nissila, and J. P. Pekola, Distribution of entropy production in nonequilibrium single-electron tunneling, arXiv:1303.6405, Nature Physics (2013).
[3] J. V. Koski et al., in preparation (2013).
Leah Birge Handel
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