2017/03/31 by Ilki Kim, ILki Kim, Michael R. von Spakovsky
Computer Science · Physics and Astronomy · #Ab initio #Advanced Thermodynamics and Statistical Mechanics #Entropy (arrow of time) #Physics #Quantum #Quantum Information and Cryptography #Quantum mechanics #Quantum thermodynamics #Spectroscopy and Quantum Chemical Studies #Statistical physics #Theoretical physics #Thermodynamics #cond-mat.stat-mech #quant-ph
paper · pdf · doi:10.1103/physreve.96.022129
published as Phys. Rev. E 96, 022129 (2017) · Accepted for publication in Physical Review E
openalex created_date 2017/03/16 · arxiv created 2017/08/01 · openalex publication_date 2017/08/14 · arxiv updated 2017/08/23 · openalex updated_date 2026/08/05
Quantum systems driven by time-dependent Hamiltonians are considered here within the framework of steepest-entropy-ascent quantum thermodynamics (SEAQT) and used to study the thermodynamic characteristics of such systems. In doing so, a generalization of the SEAQT framework valid for all such systems is provided, leading to the development of an ab initio physically relevant expression for the intrarelaxation time, an important element of this framework and one that had as of yet not been uniquely determined as an integral part of the theory. The resulting expression for the relaxation time is valid as well for time-independent Hamiltonians as a special case and makes the description provided by the SEAQT framework more robust at the fundamental level. In addition, the SEAQT framework is used to help resolve a fundamental issue of thermodynamics in the quantum domain, namely, that concerning the unique definition of process-dependent work and heat functions. The developments presented lead to the conclusion that this framework is not just an alternative approach to thermodynamics in the quantum domain but instead one that uniquely sheds new light on various fundamental but as of yet not completely resolved questions of thermodynamics.