Multi-Particle Quantum Szilard Engine with Optimal Cycles Assisted by a Maxwell's Demon

TL;DR

This paper provides a comprehensive quantum analysis of a multi-particle Szilard engine with a Maxwell's demon, demonstrating optimized quantum control for maximum efficiency and highlighting the impact of quantum statistics on the system's behavior.

Contribution

It introduces a complete quantum model of the Szilard engine with a Maxwell's demon and shows how quantum control can optimize cycle efficiency to reach Carnot limits.

Findings

Quantum control optimization achieves Carnot efficiency.

Low-temperature behavior depends on quantum statistics.

Partition insertion position influences system dynamics.

Abstract

We present a complete-quantum description of multi-particle Szilard engine which consists of a working substance and a Maxwell's demon. The demon is modeled as a multi-level quantum system with specific quantum control and the working substance consists of identical particles obeying Bose-Einstein or Fermi-Dirac statistics. In this description, a reversible scheme to erase the demon's memory by a lower temperature heat bath is used. We demonstrate that (1) the quantum control of the demon can be optimized for single-particle Szilard engine so that the efficiency of the demon-assisted thermodynamic cycle could reach the Carnot cycle's efficiency; (2) the low-temperature behavior of the working substance is very sensitive to the quantum statistics of the particles and the insertion position of the partition.