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Thermodynamics of a Colloidal Particle in a Time-Dependent Non-Harmonic Potential

V. Blickle·T. Speck·L. Helden·U. Seifert·C. Bechinger
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Abstract

We study the motion of an overdamped colloidal particle in a time-dependent non-harmonic potential. We demonstrate the first law-like balance between applied work, exchanged heat, and internal energy on the level of a single trajectory. The observed distribution of applied work is distinctly non-Gaussian in good agreement with numerical calculations. Both the Jarzynski relation and a detailed fluctuation theorem are verified with good accuracy.

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V. Blickle, T. Speck, L. Helden, U. Seifert, C. Bechinger. 2005-12-19. Thermodynamics of a Colloidal Particle in a Time-Dependent Non-Harmonic Potential. https://doi.org/10.1103/physrevlett.96.070603

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