Lossless Brownian information engine

TL;DR

This paper introduces a lossless Brownian information engine that maximizes work extraction from error-free feedback, achieving thermodynamic bounds and validating a generalized Jarzynski equality.

Contribution

It demonstrates a lossless feedback protocol that converts nearly all available information into work, reaching the thermodynamic limit and confirming a generalized Jarzynski equality.

Findings

Work output reaches the thermodynamic bound

Validated a generalized Jarzynski equality

Achieved high-precision detection at 1 nm resolution

Abstract

We report on a lossless information engine that converts nearly all available information from an error-free feedback protocol into mechanical work. Combining high-precision detection at resolution of 1 nm with ultrafast feedback control, the engine is tuned to extract the maximum work from information on the position of a Brownian particle. We show that the work produced by the engine achieves a bound set by a generalized second law of thermodynamics, demonstrating for the first time the sharpness of this bound. We validate a generalized Jarzynski equality for error-free feedback-controlled information engines.