Geometrical bounds on irreversibility in open quantum systems

TL;DR

This paper derives geometric bounds on irreversibility and entropy production in open quantum systems, extending classical thermodynamic inequalities to quantum regimes and demonstrating their application in a photonic simulator.

Contribution

It introduces a novel geometric approach to bound irreversibility in open quantum systems, expanding thermodynamic insights beyond closed systems.

Findings

Bounds are applicable to open quantum systems.

Demonstrated in a quantum photonic simulator.

Provides insights into thermodynamics of information erasure.

Abstract

Clausius inequality has deep implications for reversibility and the arrow of time. Quantum theory is able to extend this result for closed systems by inspecting the trajectory of the density matrix on its manifold. Here we show that this approach can provide an upper and lower bound to the irreversible entropy production for open quantum systems as well. These provide insights on the thermodynamics of the information erasure. Limits of the applicability of our bounds are discussed, and demonstrated in a quantum photonic simulator.