Quantum to classical transition in an information ratchet

TL;DR

This paper introduces a new quantum information ratchet model with continuous variables, enabling exact analysis of the quantum-classical transition and facilitating comparison between quantum and classical ratchets.

Contribution

It presents the first continuous-variable quantum ratchet model and analyzes the quantum to classical transition using an exactly solvable framework.

Findings

Exact solution of the quantum ratchet dynamics.

Identification of a natural time scale for the quantum-classical transition.

Insights into quantum supremacy in information ratchets.

Abstract

Recent years have seen a flurry of research activity in the study of minimal and autonomous information ratchets. However, the existing classical and quantum models are somewhat hard to compare, and, hence, quantifying possible quantum supremacy in information ratchets has been elusive. We propose a first step towards filling this void between quantum and classical ratchets by introducing a new model with continuous variables -- a quantum particle in a box coupled to a stream of qubits. The dynamics is solved exactly, and we analyze the quantum to classical transition in terms of a natural time scale parameter for the model.