Quantum dissipative adaptation

TL;DR

This paper extends the concept of dissipative adaptation from classical to quantum systems, demonstrating how quantum systems can self-organize under driving forces using an exactly solvable model involving a three-level system and a single-photon pulse.

Contribution

It introduces a quantum model of dissipative adaptation, establishing fundamental equalities linking adaptation likelihood, work absorption, heat dissipation, and environmental entropy change.

Findings

Derived equalities relating adaptation likelihood and thermodynamic quantities.

Demonstrated quantum dissipative adaptation in a three-level system with a single-photon drive.

Provided a foundation for quantum thermodynamics of self-organization.

Abstract

Dissipative adaptation is a general thermodynamic mechanism that explains self-organization in a broad class of driven classical many-body systems. It establishes how the most likely (adapted) states of a system subjected to a given drive tend to be those following trajectories of highest work absorption, followed by dissipated heat to the reservoir. Here, we extend the dissipative adaptation phenomenon to the quantum realm. We employ a fully-quantized exactly solvable model, where the source of work on a three-level system is a single-photon pulse added to a zero-temperature infinite environment, a scenario that cannot be treated by the classical framework. We find a set of equalities relating adaptation likelihood, absorbed work, heat dissipation and variation of the informational entropy of the environment. Our proof of principle provides the starting point towards a quantum thermodynamics of driven self-organization.