Open AccessPhysicsPhilosophyComputer Science

Andrew N. Jordan, Cyril Elouard, Alexia Auffèves

2019.11.15Quantum Studies-Mathematics and Foundations

DOI: 10.1007/s40509-019-00217-2

tlooto Summary

A feedback-based atom-and-piston engine that exactly associates all work with successful events and all quantum heat with the failed events, as well as an unconditional but coherent qubit engine that can attain perfect efficiency.

Abstract

This article presents recent progress in the theory of quantum measurement engines and discusses the implications of them for quantum interpretations and philosophical implications of the theory. Several new measurement engine designs are introduced and analyzed. We discuss a feedback-based atom-and-piston engine that exactly associates all work with successful events and all quantum heat with the failed events, as well as an unconditional but coherent qubit engine that can attain perfect efficiency. Any quantum measurement of an observable that does not commute with the Hamiltonian will necessarily change the energy of the system. We discuss different ways to extract that energy, the efficiency and work production of that process.

Citation format

JORDAN, Andrew N.; ELOUARD, Cyril; AUFFÈVES, Alexia. Quantum measurement engines and their relevance for quantum interpretations [preprint]. arXiv, 2019. arXiv:1911.06838.