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arXiv · 1109.1257

Thermodynamics of a stochastic twin elevator

Niraj Kumar·Christian Van den Broeck·Massimiliano Esposito·Katja Lindenberg
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Abstract

We study the non-equilibrium thermodynamics of a single particle with two available energy levels, in contact with a classical (Maxwell-Boltzmann) or quantum (Bose-Einstein) heat bath. The particle can undergo transitions between the levels via thermal activation or deactivation. The energy levels are alternately raised at a given rate regardless of occupation by the particle, maintaining a fixed energy gap equal to epsilon between them. We explicitly calculate the work, heat and entropy production rates. The efficiency in both the classical and the quantum case goes to a limit between 100% and 50% that depends on the relative rates of particle transitions and level elevation. In the classical problem we explicitly find the large deviation functions for heat, work, and internal energy.

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Niraj Kumar, Christian Van den Broeck, Massimiliano Esposito, Katja Lindenberg. 2011-09-02. Thermodynamics of a stochastic twin elevator. https://doi.org/10.1103/physreve.84.051134

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