Quantum thermodynamics has become a hot research topic recently,
bringing together ideas and approaches from the fields of statistical
mechanics, condensed matter, quantum optics, and quantum information.
The common goal is to carry over the notions of conventional
thermodynamics – the most resilient and universal physical theory to
this day – to the quantum realm of electrons, atoms, and photons, of
superposition and entanglement, and of quantum fluctuations and
measurement. While experimental results are yet scarce but quickly
growing, theoretical progress has been made by formalizing and
generalizing thermodynamics in the language of quantum information
theory, by refining and applying the toolbox of open quantum systems to
thermodynamic processes, and by in-depth studies of elementary quantum
thermal machine models.
This seminar course on quantum thermodynamics offers a topical view on
the current status of the field based on a selection of seminal works. I
will give a short series of three to four 90min-lectures introducing
basic notions from open quantum theory and quantum thermodynamics, after
which we proceed with comprehensive 45min student talks (35min + 10min
question time) on selected publications. In order to pass the course,
students must independently prepare one such (blackboard- or
slide-based) talk and successfully present it to the audience.
- Dozent/in: Stefan Nimmrichter