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Learning is a physical process. Here, we aim to study a simple dynamical system composed of springs and sticks capable of arbitrarily approximating any continuous function. The main idea of our work is to use the sticks to mimic a…
A theoretical model is proposed for low temperature friction between two smooth rigid solid surfaces separated by lubricant molecules, admitting their deformations and rotations. Appearance of different modes of energy dissipation (by…
We solve a set of selected exercises on rotational motion requiring a mechanical and thermodynamical analysis. When non-conservative forces or thermal effects are present, a complete study must use the first law of thermodynamics together…
A deterministic theory describing the behavior of an ultrathin lubricant film between two atomically-smooth solid surfaces is proposed. For the description of lubricant state the parameter of excess volume arising due to chaotization of…
Friction is one of the fundamental issues in physics, mechanics and material science with lots of practical applications. However, the understanding of macroscopic friction phenomena from microscopic aspect is still on the way. In this…
The triumph of heat engines is their ability to convert the disordered energy of thermal sources into useful mechanical motion. In recent years, much effort has been devoted to generalizing thermodynamic notions to the quantum regime,…
The electrons forming a Cooper pair in a superconductor can be spatially separated preserving their spin entanglement by means of quantum dots coupled to both the superconductor and independent normal leads. We investigate the…
Accurate and efficient thermal simulations of induction machines are indispensable for detecting thermal hot spots and hence avoiding potential material failure in an early design stage. A goal is the better utilization of the machines with…
The current performances of single-board microcontrollers render them attractive not only for basic applications but also for more elaborate projects, amongst which physics teaching or research. In this article, we show how…
Exploiting the rich phenomenology of periodically-driven many-body systems is notoriously hindered by persistent heating in both the classical and quantum realm. Here, we investigate to what extent coupling to a large thermal reservoir…
A four stroke quantum engine which alternately interacts with a measurement apparatus and a single heat bath is discussed in detail with respect to the average work and heat as well as to the fluctuations of work and heat. The efficiency…
Simulated tempering (ST) has attracted a great deal of attention in the last years, due to its capability to allow systems with complex dynamics to escape from regions separated by large entropic barriers. However its performance is…
A colloidal particle confined in a time-dependent optical trap can function as a microscopic heat engine, with optimization strategies playing a crucial role in enhancing its performance. In this study, we numerically investigate a Stirling…
The fundamentals of a quantum heat engine are derived from first principles. The study is based on the equation of motion of a minimum set of operators which is then used to define the state of the system. The relation between the quantum…
We study three different experiments that involve dry friction and periodic driving, and which employ both single and many-particle systems. These experimental set-ups, besides providing a playground for investigation of frictional effects,…
The heat flow between a quantum system and its reservoir is analyzed when initially both are in a separable thermal state and asymptotically approach a correlated equilibrium. General findings are illustrated for specific systems and…
In Szilard's engine, measurement and feedback allows to extract work from an equilibrium environment, a process otherwise forbidden by the laws of thermodynamics. Recent theoretical developments have established fluctuation theorems and…
We investigate the thermodynamics and fluctuations of a finite-time quantum Otto engine alternatively driven by a hot squeezed and a cold thermal reservoir. We show that reservoir squeezing significantly enhances the performance by…
The goal is the development of a novel principle for the temperature acquisition of refrigerants in CO2 air conditioning systems. The new approach is based on measuring the temperature inside a pressure sensor, which is also needed in the…
We consider a Szilard engine in one dimension, consisting of a single particle of mass $m$, moving between a piston of mass $M$, and a heat reservoir at temperature $T$. In addition to an external force, the piston experiences repeated…