Szilard engine revisited; information from time forward and backward process

TL;DR

This paper reexamines the Szilard engine by applying non-equilibrium thermodynamics, specifically dissipative work, to quantify the work based on measurement outcome probabilities in forward and backward processes.

Contribution

It introduces a novel approach to analyze the Szilard engine using dissipative work and probability distributions of measurement outcomes.

Findings

Work is expressed as the difference in measurement outcome probabilities.

Provides a thermodynamic framework connecting forward and backward processes.

Enhances understanding of information thermodynamics in Szilard engines.

Abstract

We derive the work performed in the Szilard engine (SZE) by using dissipative work formula of non-equilibrium thermodynamics developed in Kawai et al. Phys. Rev. Lett. 98, 080602 (2007). The work is described as the difference of probability distributions of measurement outcomes of the time forward and the backward process.