Geometric effect and gauge field in nonequilibrium quantum thermostatistics

TL;DR

This paper explores the geometric and gauge field structures in nonequilibrium quantum thermodynamics, revealing how work can be understood through gauge theory and its potential experimental implications.

Contribution

It introduces the concept of a work gauge field in quantum thermostatistics and analyzes its effects in a spin system, linking geometric phases to thermodynamic work.

Findings

Identification of a gauge theoretical structure in nonequilibrium quantum work.

Work as flux of the gauge field in cyclic processes.

Potential observation in NMR experiments and applications in thermal control.

Abstract

The concept of work is studied in quantum thermostatistics of a system surrounded by an environment and driven by an external force. It is found that there emerges the gauge theoretical structure in a nonequilibrium process, the field of which is referred to as the work gauge field. The thermodynamic work as the flux of the work gauge field is considered for a cyclic process in the space of the external-force parameters. As an example, the system of a spin-1/2 interacting with an external magnetic field is analyzed. This geometric effect may be observed, for example, in an NMR experiment and can be applied to the problem of cooling/heating of a small system.