Equilibration and nonclassicality of a double-well potential

TL;DR

This paper investigates the dynamics and steady state behavior of a bosonic double-well system in contact with thermal reservoirs, revealing that thermalization is rare and exploring nonclassical features and energy fluxes in finite-time thermodynamics.

Contribution

It provides a comprehensive analysis of the non-equilibrium dynamics and nonclassical correlations in a double-well system, highlighting the rarity of thermalization.

Findings

Thermalization occurs only 'accidentally' in the system.

The system exhibits nonclassical features and energy fluxes during dynamics.

Finite-time thermodynamics reveals nonclassical correlations between wells.

Abstract

A double well loaded with bosonic atoms represents an ideal candidate to simulate some of the most interesting aspects in the phenomenology of thermalisation and equilibration. Here we report an exhaustive analysis of the dynamics and steady state properties of such a system locally in contact with different temperature reservoirs. We show that thermalisation only occurs 'accidentally'. We further examine the nonclassical features and energy fluxes implied by the dynamics of the double-well system, thus exploring its finite-time thermodynamics in relation to the settlement of nonclassical correlations between the wells.