We propose an experimental scheme to verify the quantum non-equilibrium fluctuation relations using current technology. Specifically, we show that the characteristic function of the work distribution for a non-equilibrium quench of a general quantum system can be extracted from Ramsey interferometry of a single probe qubit. Our scheme paves the way for the full characterisation of non-equilibrium processes in a variety of complex quantum systems ranging from single particles to many-body atomic systems and spin chains. We demonstrate our idea using a time-dependent quench of the motional state of a trapped ion, where the internal pseudo-spin provides a convenient probe qubit.
@article{arxiv.1301.7021,
title = {Extracting quantum work statistics and fluctuation theorems by single qubit interferometry},
author = {R. Dorner and S. R. Clark and L. Heaney and R. Fazio and J. Goold and V. Vedral},
journal= {arXiv preprint arXiv:1301.7021},
year = {2013}
}
Comments
4.5 pages. 2 Figures. See related paper "Measuring the characteristic function of the work distribution" by L. Mazzola et al. This version - additional analysis undertaken