Entropy Distribution in a Quantum Informational Circuit of Tunable Szilard Engines

Abstract

This paper explores the possibility of extending the existing model of a single-particle Quantum Szilard Engine to take advantage of some features of quantum information for driving typical mechanical systems. It focuses on devices that output mechanical work, extracting energy from a single thermal reservoir at the cost of increasing the entropy of a qubit; the reverse process is also considered. In this alternative, several engines may share the information carried by the same qubit, although its interception will prove completely worthless for any illegitimate user. To this end, multi-partite quantum entanglement is employed. Besides, some changes in the cycle of the standard single-particle Quantum Szilard Engine are described, which lend more flexibility to meeting additional requirements in typical mechanical systems. The modifications allow having qubit input and output states of adjustable entropy. This feature enables the possibility of chaining the qubit between engines so that its output state from one can be used as an input state for another. Finally, another tweak is presented that allows for tuning the average output force of the engine.

Keywords

• szilard engines
• quantum thermodynamics
• information heat engines