On the quasi-static evolution of nonequilibrium steady states

TL;DR

This paper investigates the slow evolution of nonequilibrium steady states in quantum systems, introducing a new adiabatic theorem for complex generators and applying it to a quantum dot model.

Contribution

It presents a novel adiabatic theorem for unbounded, nonnormal generators and applies it to analyze the quasi-static evolution of NESS in a quantum dot system.

Findings

Proves a new adiabatic theorem for complex quantum generators.

Analyzes the quasi-static evolution of NESS in a quantum dot.

Provides insights into nonequilibrium thermodynamics in quantum systems.

Abstract

The quasi-static evolution of steady states far from equilibrium is investigated from the point of view of quantum statistical mechanics. As a concrete example of a thermodynamic system, a two-level quantum dot coupled to several reservoirs of free fermions at different temperatures is considered. A novel adiabatic theorem for unbounded and nonnormal generators of evolution is proven and applied to study the quasi-static evolution of nonequilibrium steady states (NESS) of the coupled system.