The Wigner Entropy Production Rate
Quantum Physics
2017-06-06 v1 Statistical Mechanics
Abstract
The characterization of irreversibility in general quantum processes is an open problem of increasing techno- logical relevance. Yet, the tools currently available to this aim are mostly limited to the assessment of dynamics induced by equilibrium environments, a situation that often does not match the reality of experiments at the microscopic and mesoscopic scale. We propose a theory of irreversible entropy production that is suited for quantum systems exposed to general, non-equilibrium reservoirs. We illustrate our framework by addressing a set of physically relevant situations that clarify both the features and the potential of our proposal.
Cite
@article{arxiv.1706.01145,
title = {The Wigner Entropy Production Rate},
author = {Jader P. Santos and Gabriel T. Landi and Mauro Paternostro},
journal= {arXiv preprint arXiv:1706.01145},
year = {2017}
}