arXiv subjects
Publications and source records attributed to Robert Alicki.
It is argued that the previously proposed modification of the standard (flat) inflationary $\Lambda CDM$ model in which cosmological constant is replaced by thermal energy of expanding vacum, characterized by the Gibbons-Hawking temperature, explains the origin of notorious ``Hubble tension''.
The previously proposed modification of the standard (flat) inflationary $\Lambda CDM$ model in which the inflaton field(s) and ``dark energy" are replaced by the vacum in expanding Friedmann-Lema\^itre-Robertson-Walker Universe is studied. The expanding joint vacuum of the all ingrediences of matter, including Standard Model particles and a dark matter sector, is treated as a thermal equilibrium state at temporal Gibbons-Hawking temperature, proportional to the Hubble parameter, and chemical potentials equal to particle masses. This theory provides not only the new mechanism of inflation and its graceful exit, but also explains acceleration of expansion for the late Universe. The formalism can be combined with the anomalous quantum gravity effects leading to a viable baryogenesis mechanism and certain bounds on dark matter particle masses and lifetimes.
Theoretical foundations of electron transport in mesoscopic systems, based on Landauer theory, Master equations or Onsager linear thermodynamics, are revisited to show that the noniteracting electrons model is insufficient to describe neither passive transport, nor generation of electromotive force (active transport). It is argued that 2-body electrostatic interactions creating double layers and surface charge distributions are crucial for the electron transport through a junction. Phenomenological modifications of the passive transport formulas based on the carefull analysis of the fundamental notions of chemical, electrostatic, electrochemical, build-in potentials, band bending and bias voltage, are proposed. On the other hand active transport can be generated by a self-oscillating double layer (a pump ) driven by an external heat, light or chemical energy source.
It is argued the the idea of a single temperature-like variable, introduced in [1], which enters a generalized second law for Markovian open system in non-equilibrium environment is not sufficient for a consistent and useful thermodynamic formalism. The origin of the Second Law and ``local temperatures'' in Markovian theory of Quantum Open Systems is revisited and illustrated by simple examples.
We consider the local physics of an open quantum system embedded in an expanding three-dimensional space $\mathbf x$, evolving in cosmological time $t$, weakly coupled to a massless quantum field. We derive the corresponding Markovian master equation for the system's nonunitary evolution and show that, for a de Sitter space with Hubble parameter $h = $ const., the background fields act as a physical heat bath with temperature $T_{\rm dS} = h / 2 π$. The energy density of this bath obeys the Stefan-Boltzmann law $ρ_{\rm dS} \propto h^4$. We comment on how these results clarify the thermodynamics of de Sitter space and support previous arguments for its instability in the infrared. The cosmological implications are considered in an accompanying letter.
We treat the Cooper pairs in the superconducting electrodes of a Josephson junction (JJ) as an open system, coupled via Andreev scattering to external baths of electrons. The disequilibrium between the baths generates the direct-current bias applied to the JJ. In the weak-coupling limit we obtain a Markovian master equation that provides a simple dynamical description consistent with the main features of the JJ, including the form of the current-voltage characteristic, its hysteresis, and the appearance under periodic voltage driving of discrete Shapiro steps. For small dissipation, our model also exhibits a self-oscillation of the JJ's electrical dipole with frequency $Ω= 2 e V / \hbar$ around mean voltage $V$. This self-oscillation, associated with "hidden attractors" of the nonlinear equations of motion, explains the observed production of monochromatic radiation with frequency $Ω$ and its harmonics. We argue that this picture of the JJ as a quantum engine resolves open questions about the Josephson effect as an irreversible process and could open new perspectives in quantum thermodynamics and in the theory of dynamical systems.
Interactions between a source of light and atoms are ubiquitous in nature. The study of them is interesting on the fundamental level as well as for applications. They are in the core of Quantum Information Processing tasks and in Quantum Thermodynamics protocols. However, even for two-level atom interacting with field in rotating wave approximation there exists no exact solution. This touches as basic problem in quantum field theory, where we can only calculate the transitions in the time asymptotic limits (i.e. minus and plus infinity), while we are not able to trace the evolution. In this paper we want to get more insight into the time evolution of a total system of a two-level atom and a continuous-mode quantum field. We propose an approximation, which we are able to apply systematically to each order of Dyson expansion, resulting in greatly simplified formula for the evolution of the combined system at any time. Our tools include a proposed novel, {\it non-Hermitian} re-normalization method. As a sanity check, by applying our framework, we derive the known optical Bloch equations.
Goran Lindblad was one of the pioneers of what is called now Quantum Thermodynamics. From this vast and rapidly developing field we have selected a sample of results concerning quantum open systems described by Markovian Master Equations of the Lindblad (Gorini-Kossakowski-Sudarshan) type, which are applied to models of lasers. One can study their thermodynamics using the properties of quantum relative entropy, also introduced by Lindblad.
We consider the dynamics of a quantum system immersed in a dilute gas at thermodynamics equilibrium using a quantum Markovian master equation derived by applying the low-density limit technique. It is shown that the Gibbs state at the bath temperature is always stationary while the detailed balance condition at this state can be violated beyond the Born approximation. This violation is generically related to the absence of time-reversal symmetry for the scattering T-matrix, which produces a thermalization mechanism that allows the presence of persistent probability and heat currents at thermal equilibrium. This phenomenon is illustrated by a model of an electron hopping between three quantum dots in an external magnetic field.
Based on the results of a previous analysis of the Markovian master equation for the irreversible evolution of an open system embedded in de Sitter space, we include in the cosmological Friedmann equations a contribution from the presence of a physical bath at temperature $T_{\rm dS} = h / 2 \pi$, where $h$ is the Hubble parameter. We show that this provides a mechanism for the irreversible relaxation of the cosmological constant and a graceful exit to inflation, without need for subsequent reheating. Thermal particle production during inflation gives adiabatic, Gaussian, and approximately scale-invariant cosmological perturbations. We thus obtain the main features of inflation without any inflaton potential. To clarify the thermodynamic interpretation of these results, we consider the analogy of this irreversible relaxation to superfluorescence in quantum optics.
We propose a novel approach for optimization of charging of harmonic oscillators (quantum batteries) coupled to a harmonic oscillator (charger), driven by laser field. We demonstrate that energy transfer limitations can be significantly mitigated in the presence of catalyst systems, mediating between the charger and quantum batteries. We show that these catalyst systems, either qubits or harmonic oscillators, enhance the amount of energy transferred to quantum batteries, while they themselves store almost no energy. It eliminates the need for optimizing frequency of the charging laser field, whose optimal value in the bare setting depends on coupling strengths between the charger and the batteries.
We investigate the topic of renormalization in the theory of weakly interacting open quantum systems. Our starting point is an open quantum system interacting with a single heat bath. For a given setup, we discuss that the stationary state of the Davies-GKSL equation is thermodynamically inconsistent with the presence of the Lamb-Stark shift term. For this reason, we postulate the self-consistency condition for the dynamical equations. The condition fixes the renormalization procedure and recovers the thermodynamical consistency. In this way, we rederive the cumulant equation to illustrate how the self-consistency condition enters the derivation of the dynamical equations. The physical interpretation of the renormalization procedure is discussed in terms of the Born approximation. Furthermore, we compare the Lamb-Stark shift term (dynamical correction) with the second-order (static) correction to the so-called mean-force (Gibbs state) Hamiltonian. The discrepancy between the static and the dynamical correction questions the physical meaning of the latter one. Finally, we formulate a simplified renormalization scheme that can be directly applied to Davies-GKSL or Bloch-Redfield equations.
If a quantum system interacts with the environment, then the Hamiltonian acquires a correction known as the Lamb-shift term. There are two other corrections to the Hamiltonian, related to the stationary state. Namely, the stationary state is to first approximation a Gibbs state with respect to original Hamiltonian. However, if we have finite coupling, then the true stationary state will be different, and regarding it as a Gibbs state to some effective Hamiltonian, one can extract a correction, which is called "steady-state" correction. Alternatively, one can take a static point of view, and consider the reduced state of total equilibrium state, i.e., system plus bath Gibbs state. The extracted Hamiltonian correction is called the "mean-force" correction. This paper presents several analytical results on second-order corrections (in coupling strength) of the three types mentioned above. Instead of the steady state, we focus on a state annihilated by the Liouvillian of the master equation, labeling it as the "quasi-steady state." Specifically, we derive a general formula for the mean-force correction as well as the quasi-steady state and Lamb-shift correction for a general class of master equations. Furthermore, specific formulas for corrections are obtained for the Davies, Bloch-Redfield, and cumulant equation (refined weak coupling). In particular, the cumulant equation serves as a case study of the Liouvillian, featuring a nontrivial fourth-order generator. This generator forms the basis for calculating the diagonal quasi-steady-state correction. We consider spin-boson model as an example, and in addition to using our formulas for corrections, we consider mean-force correction from the reaction-coordinate approach.
Using the quantum Markovian master equation, we show that convection in the stellar photosphere generates plasma waves by an irreversible process akin to Zeldovich superradiance and sonic booms. In the Sun, this mechanism is most efficient in quiet regions with small magnetic fields. Energy is mostly carried by megahertz Alfven waves that scatter elastically until they reach a height at which they can dissipate via mode conversion. This gives the right power flux for coronal heating and may account for chromospheric evaporation leading to impulsive heat transport in the corona.
Engines are open systems that can generate work cyclically, at the expense of an external disequilibrium. They are ubiquitous in nature and technology, but the course of mathematical physics over the last 300 years has tended to make their dynamics in time a theoretical blind spot. This has hampered the usefulness of statistical mechanics applied to active systems, including living matter. We argue that recent advances in the theory of open quantum systems, coupled with renewed interest in understanding how active forces result from positive feedback between different macroscopic degrees of freedom in the presence of dissipation, point to a more realistic description of autonomous engines. We propose a general conceptualization of an engine that helps clarify the distinction between its heat and work outputs. Based on this, we show how the external loading force and the thermal noise may be incorporated into the relevant equations of motion. This modifies the usual Fokker-Planck and Langevin equations, offering a thermodynamically complete formulation of the irreversible dynamics of simple oscillating and rotating engines.
The famous Davies-GKSL secular Markovian master equation is tremendously successful in approximating the evolution of open quantum systems in terms of just a few parameters. However, the fully-secular Davies-GKSL equation fails to accurately describe time scales short enough, i.e., comparable to the inverse of differences of frequencies present in the system of interest. A complementary approach that works well for short times but is not suitable after this short interval is known as the quasi-secular master equation. Still, both approaches fail to have any faithful dynamics in the intermediate time interval. Simultaneously, descriptions of dynamics that apply to the aforementioned "grey zone" often are computationally much more complex than master equations or are mathematically not well-structured. The filtered approximation (FA) to the refined weak coupling limit has the simplistic spirit of the Davies-GKSL equation and allows capturing the dynamics in the intermediate time regime. At the same time, our non-Markovian equation yields completely positive dynamics. We exemplify the performance of the FA equation in the cases of the spin-boson system and qutrit-boson system in which two distant time scales appear.
We introduce the "leaking elastic capacitor" (LEC) model, a nonconservative dynamical system that combines simple electrical and mechanical degrees of freedom. We show that an LEC connected to an external voltage source can be destabilized (Hopf bifurcation) due to positive feedback between the mechanical separation of the plates and their electrical charging. Numerical simulation finds regimes in which the LEC exhibits a limit cycle (regular self-oscillation) or strange attractors (chaos). The LEC acts as an autonomous engine, cyclically performing work at the expense of the constant voltage source. We show that this mechanical work can be used to pump current, generating an electromotive force without any time-varying magnetic flux and in a thermodynamically irreversible way. We consider how this mechanism can sustain electromechanical waves propagating along flexible plates. We argue that the LEC model can offer a qualitatively new and more realistic description of important properties of active systems with electrical double layers in condensed-matter physics, chemistry, and biology.
We propose a dynamical theory of how the chemical energy stored in a battery generates the electromotive force (emf). In this picture, the battery's half-cell acts as an engine, cyclically extracting work from its underlying chemical disequilibrium. We show that the double layer at the electrode-electrolyte interface can exhibit a rapid self-oscillation that pumps an electric current, thus accounting for the persistent conversion of chemical energy into electrical work equal to the emf times the separated charge. We suggest a connection between this mechanism and the slow self-oscillations observed in various electrochemical cells, including batteries, as well as the enhancement of the current observed when ultrasound is applied to the half-cell. Finally, we propose more direct experimental tests of the predictions of this dynamical theory.