Thermodynamically Consistent Lindbladians for Quantum Stochastic Thermodynamics

TL;DR

This paper introduces a thermodynamically consistent Lindblad framework for quantum stochastic thermodynamics, enabling analysis of nonequilibrium processes, fluctuation theorems, and optimal protocols in open quantum systems.

Contribution

It develops a new Lindblad approach based on local quantum detailed balance, ensuring thermodynamic consistency and allowing derivation of work and heat statistics without full density matrix evolution.

Findings

Refined quantum Brownian motion master equation with detailed balance

Derived optimal protocols at various temperatures

Analyzed work statistics in open quantum systems

Abstract

We develop a Lindblad framework for quantum stochastic thermodynamics to study the nonequilibrium thermodynamics of open quantum systems. Our approach adopts the local quantum detailed balance condition, ensuring thermodynamic consistency and leading to a joint fluctuation theorem of quantum work and heat. Instead of solving the full evolution of the density matrix, we employ an effective parametrization to derive the full counting statistics of work and heat and determine the optimal protocols. As an application, we refine the quantum Brownian motion master equation to ensure the quantum detailed balance condition, derive the optimal protocols at different temperatures, and study the work statistics. Our framework provides fundamental insights and practical strategies for optimizing thermodynamic processes in open quantum systems.