Steps minimize dissipation in rapidly driven stochastic systems

TL;DR

This paper demonstrates that in rapidly driven stochastic systems, optimal energy dissipation is minimized by a universal two-step protocol, which can enhance efficiency in molecular machines and improve free-energy estimation.

Contribution

It introduces a universal two-step protocol for minimizing dissipation in fast-driven stochastic systems, applicable across various nonequilibrium processes.

Findings

Two-step protocols minimize dissipation at fixed duration.

Jump protocols can improve energetic efficiency.

Implementation enhances free-energy estimation accuracy.

Abstract

Micro- and nano-scale systems driven by rapid changes in control parameters (control protocols) dissipate significant energy. In the fast-protocol limit, we find that protocols that minimize dissipation at fixed duration are universally given by a two-step process, jumping to and from a point that balances jump size with fast relaxation. Jump protocols could be exploited by molecular machines or thermodynamic computing to improve energetic efficiency, and implemented in nonequilibrium free-energy estimation to improve accuracy.