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arXiv · 2604.15953

Finite-Time Thermodynamics of an Autonomous Information Machine

Wanyan Chen·Miao Chen·Yu-Han Ma
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Abstract

While externally driven information engines are well understood, the thermodynamic constraints of their autonomous counterparts remain an open question. Here, we investigate the finite-time operation of an autonomous machine functioning as both an information eraser and a refrigerator, revealing that its irreversibility is bounded by the transient information geometry. Beyond steady-state boundaries, we map the landscape of optimal operation times across both functional modes, uncovering a unique synergistic regime where erasure power $P$ and efficiency $\eta$ increase simultaneously. Fundamentally, this performance is governed by a trade-off relation, $v(1-\eta)P/\eta \le D$, where $v$ is the operational speed and $D$ denotes an information-geometric distance. Our findings pave the way for optimizing fast autonomous information-energy conversion.

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Wanyan Chen, Miao Chen, Yu-Han Ma. 2026-04-17. Finite-Time Thermodynamics of an Autonomous Information Machine. https://arxiv.org/abs/2604.15953

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