This study examines how a quantum switch can affect thermodynamics. A quantum switch allows two processes to happen in different orders at the same time. When applied to heating and cooling processes, it showed surprising results that seemed to break a fundamental law of thermodynamics. The researchers found that this switching could improve how much information can be transferred. Using advanced experimental techniques, they confirmed the limits of this information increase and showed that, in some cases, those limits can be exceeded. Importantly, the quantum switch can change a heated state into a cooler one while using some energy from a control system. This research suggests new ways to explore quantum mechanics and thermodynamics together.
Read more at Physical Review Letters:
https://journals.aps.org/prl/abstract/10.1103/PhysRevLett.133.040401
26 Jul 2024