Thermodynamic Reversibility in Feedback Processes

TL;DR

This paper extends the concept of thermodynamic reversibility to feedback processes, showing that feedback-reversible processes are indistinguishable from their time-reversal and achieve minimal dissipation.

Contribution

It introduces the notion of feedback-reversibility, demonstrating conditions under which work dissipation and information gain are minimized or zero.

Findings

Feedback-reversible processes are indistinguishable from their time-reversal.

Minimum dissipation of zero is achieved only in feedback-reversible processes.

In such processes, work dissipation plus change in uncertainty sums to zero.

Abstract

The sum of the average work dissipated plus the information gained during a thermodynamic process with discrete feedback must exceed zero. We demonstrate that the minimum value of zero is attained only by feedback-reversible processes that are indistinguishable from their time-reversal, thereby extending the notion of thermodynamic reversibility to feedback processes. In addition, we prove that in every realization of a feedback-reversible process the sum of the work dissipated and change in uncertainty is zero.