# Experimental study of quantum thermodynamics using optical vortices

## TL;DR

This paper presents an experimental platform using optical vortices to study non-equilibrium quantum thermodynamics, verifying fluctuation relations and demonstrating Maxwell's demon operation in high-dimensional quantum systems.

## Contribution

It introduces a novel optical setup employing Laguerre-Gaussian beams to emulate quantum harmonic oscillators and experimentally investigates quantum thermodynamic properties.

## Key findings

- Verified the Jarzynski fluctuation relation experimentally.
- Reconstructed work distribution using two-point measurement scheme.
- Demonstrated Maxwell's demon operation with optical vortices.

## Abstract

Non-equilibrium thermodynamics and quantum information theory are interrelated research fields witnessing an increasing interest, both theoretical and experimental. This is manly due to the broadness of these theories, which found applications in many different fields of science, ranging from biology to the foundations of physics. Here, by employing the orbital angular momentum of light, we propose a new platform for studying non-equilibrium properties of high dimensional quantum systems. Specifically, we use Laguerre-Gaussian beams to emulate the energy eigenstates of a two-dimension quantum harmonic oscillator having angular momentum. These light beams are subjected to a process realized by a spatial light modulator and the corresponding work distribution is experimentally reconstructed employing a two-point measurement scheme. The Jarzynski fluctuation relation is then verified. We also demonstrate the operation of the system as a Maxwell's demon.