Print Email Facebook Twitter Limits to catalysis in quantum thermodynamics Title Limits to catalysis in quantum thermodynamics Author Ng, N.H.Y. (TU Delft Quantum Information and Software; TU Delft QuTech Advanced Research Centre; National University of Singapore) Mančinska, L. (National University of Singapore) Cirstoiu, C. (National University of Singapore; University of Cambridge) Eisert, J. (Freie Universität Berlin) Wehner, S.D.C. (TU Delft Quantum Internet Division; TU Delft Quantum Information and Software; TU Delft QuTech Advanced Research Centre; National University of Singapore) Department Quantum Internet Division Date 2015 Abstract Quantum thermodynamics is a research field that aims at fleshing out the ultimate limits of thermodynamic processes in the deep quantum regime. A complete picture of thermodynamical processes naturally allows for auxiliary systems dubbed 'catalysts', i.e., any physical systems facilitating state transformations while remaining essentially intact in their state, like an auxiliary system, a clock, or an actual catalyst. In this work, we present a comprehensive analysis of the power and limitation of such thermal catalysis. Specifically, we provide a family of optimal catalysts that can be returned with minimal trace distance error after facilitating a state transformation process. To incorporate the genuine physical role of a catalyst, we identify very significant restrictions on arbitrary state transformations under dimension or mean energy bounds, using methods of convex relaxations. We discuss the implication of these findings on possible thermodynamic state transformations in the quantum regime. Subject catalysisquantum informationquantum thermodynamics To reference this document use: http://resolver.tudelft.nl/uuid:d41502d1-2172-46e5-886f-9e717ce1e5eb DOI https://doi.org/10.1088/1367-2630/17/8/085004 ISSN 1367-2630 Source New Journal of Physics, 17 (8), 1-20 Part of collection Institutional Repository Document type journal article Rights © 2015 N.H.Y. Ng, L. Mančinska, C. Cirstoiu, J. Eisert, S.D.C. Wehner Files PDF pdf.pdf 1.36 MB Close viewer /islandora/object/uuid:d41502d1-2172-46e5-886f-9e717ce1e5eb/datastream/OBJ/view