Information-to-work conversion by Maxwell’s demon in a superconducting circuit quantum electrodynamical system

Mar 29, 2018
6 pages
Published in:
  • Nature Commun. 9 (2018) 1, 1291
  • Published: Mar 29, 2018

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Abstract: (Springer)
Information thermodynamics bridges information theory and statistical physics by connecting information content and entropy production through measurement and feedback control. Maxwell’s demon is a hypothetical character that uses information about a system to reduce its entropy. Here we realize a Maxwell’s demon acting on a superconducting quantum circuit. We implement quantum non-demolition projective measurement and feedback operation of a qubit and verify the generalized integral fluctuation theorem. We also evaluate the conversion efficiency from information gain to work in the feedback protocol. Our experiment constitutes a step toward experimental studies of quantum information thermodynamics in artificially made quantum machines. Maxwell’s demon is a hypothetical character that uses information about a system to reduce its entropy, highlighting the link between information and thermodynamic entropies. Here the authors experimentally realise a Maxwell's demon controlling a quantum system and explore how it affects thermodynamic laws.
  • Quantum information
  • Superconducting devices
  • Thermodynamics