Non-classical effects in quantum thermodynamics

Abstract

The possibility of manipulating information through non-classical effects has resulted in the allocation of appreciable amount of financial resources in many countries. The financial investiment for the development of a quantum technology to manipulate information substantially increased in recent years. The understanding of quantum processes in small quantum systems out of equilibrium surely is an important step for the stablishment of limits of this emergent techonology. In this sense, fundamental investigations of quantum effects in thermodynamic protocols must contribute for the development of what was conventinally called Quantum Thermodynamics. One of the goals of this project is to investigate how non-classical effects and characteristics are associated to entropy production and irreversibility in the execution of protocols of quantum systems in finite-time. We will also investigate how to use non-classical characteristic to improve thermodynamic processes in quantum systems, in particular, work extraction and refrigerator protocols. Among other non-classical features, we are interested in effects associated to quantum coherence and non-Markovian dynamics in a quantum system interacting with a structured reservoir. The present project encompasses theoretical developments concatenated with tests of experimental principles of the mechanicms which will be studied. (AU)