Fluctuation theorems for non-Markovian quantum processes

TL;DR

This paper investigates how memory effects in non-Markovian quantum processes modify fluctuation theorems, revealing that correlations introduced by memory alter entropy production and fluctuation behavior in open quantum systems.

Contribution

It extends fluctuation theorems to non-Markovian quantum processes by incorporating memory effects and their impact on entropy fluctuations, using a classical-like stochastic unravelling approach.

Findings

Memory effects lead to corrections in standard entropic fluctuation theorems.

Correlations from memory influence entropy fluctuation behavior.

Information flow between system and environment affects entropy production.

Abstract

Exploiting previous results on Markovian dynamics and fluctuation theorems, we study the consequences of memory effects on single realizations of nonequilibrium processes within an open system approach. The entropy production along single trajectories for forward and backward processes is obtained with the help of a recently proposed classical-like non-Markovian stochastic unravelling, which is demonstrated to lead to a correction of the standard entropic fluctuation theorem. This correction is interpreted as resulting from the interplay between the information extracted from the system through measurements and the flow of information from the environment to the open system: Due to memory effects single realizations of a dynamical process are no longer independent, and their correlations fundamentally affect the behavior of entropy fluctuations.