Thermodynamics of Quantum Information: Engines, Measurement, and Entropy

We propose the investigation of the interplay between energy, information, heat and entropy within a fully quantum mechanical context. A joint theoretical and experimental program of three projects will be undertaken. The first is the development of a measurement plus feedback system to probe the quantum vacuum fluctuations of an electrical oscillator. The energy given by the system to the meter can be rectified, here implemented as a microwave probe of a superconducting electrical oscillator. We hypothesize that the energy stored by the engine is in fact supplied by the measurement process and acts as a transducer of energy of the measurement probe to the electrical storage device. The second is based on a two-qubit superconducting circuit, where the energy transfer between the qubits and reservoirs will be investigated for the possibility of nonlocal energy transfer or storage. The third project will explore the relationship between energetic resources and measurement fidelity as well as operations. The goal is to set a fundamental bound of the energetic resources to reach a given measurement fidelity. These projects will answer several big questions about our natural world concerning the intertwined nature of quantum energy and information, and their transfer.