Stiffness of Probability Distributions of Work and Jarzynski Relation for Initial Microcanonical and Energy Eigenstates

TL;DR

This paper investigates how the probability distributions of work in driven quantum systems relate to the Jarzynski relation, highlighting the role of distribution 'stiffness' and demonstrating quantum-specific phenomena through analytical and numerical analysis.

Contribution

It analytically links distribution stiffness and the Jarzynski relation, and numerically shows their connection, revealing quantum effects absent in classical systems.

Findings

Stiffness of work-PDFs correlates with Jarzynski relation validity.

Jarzynski relation holds for large systems even from pure energy eigenstates.

Quantum systems exhibit unique behavior not seen in classical counterparts.

Abstract

We consider closed quantum systems (into which baths may be integrated) that are driven, i.e., subject to time-dependent Hamiltonians. As a starting point we assume that, for systems initialized in microcanonical states at some energies, the resulting probability densities of work (work-PDFs) are largely independent of these specific initial energies. We show analytically that this assumption of "stiffness", together with the assumption of an exponentially growing density of energy eigenstates, is sufficient but not necessary for the validity of the Jarzynski relation (JR) for the above microcanonical initial states. This holds, even in the absence of microreversibility. To scrutinize the connection between stiffness and the JR for microcanonical initial states, we perform numerical analysis on systems comprising random matrices which may be tuned from stiff to nonstiff. In these examples we find the JR fulfilled in the presence of stiffness, and violated in its absence, which indicates a very close connection between stiffness and the JR. Remarkably, in the limit of large systems, we find the JR fulfilled, even for pure initial energy eigenstates. As this has no analogue in classical systems, we consider it a genuine quantum phenomenon.