A way to construct Boltzmann entropy, i.e., the entropy as a function of a microscopic pure state, for quantum field systems is proposed. Operators that shift the field in wave-vector space are used in the construction. By employing an assumption that some terms emerging due to the shift are negligible in the thermodynamic limit, it is shown that, for almost all states in the ensemble of pure states corresponding to a thermodynamic state, the value of the proposed Boltzmann entropy coincides with that of the thermodynamic entropy for the thermodynamic state. For general self-interacting fields, the Boltzmann entropy evolves with time under Hamiltonian dynamics, so that it is capable of characterizing the thermalization of isolated quantum field systems.
A way to construct Boltzmann entropy, i.e., the entropy as a function of a microscopic pure state, for quantum field systems is proposed. Operators that shift the field in wave-vector space are used in the construction. By employing an assumption that some terms emerging due to the shift are negligible in the thermodynamic limit, it is shown that, for almost all states in the ensemble of pure states corresponding to a thermodynamic state, the value of the proposed Boltzmann entropy coincides with that of the thermodynamic entropy for the thermodynamic state. For general self-interacting fields, the Boltzmann entropy evolves with time under Hamiltonian dynamics, so that it is capable of characterizing the thermalization of isolated quantum field systems.
The Gibbs entropy of a macroscopic classical system is a function of a probability distribution over phase space, i.e., of an ensemble. In contrast, the Boltzmann entropy is a function on phase space, and is thus defined for an individual system. Our aim is to discuss and compare these two notions of entropy, along with the associated ensemblist and individualist views of thermal equilibrium. Using the Gibbsian ensembles for the computation of the Gibbs entropy, the two notions yield the same (leading order) values for the entropy of a macroscopic system in thermal equilibrium. The two approaches do not, however, necessarily agree for non-equilibrium systems. For those, we argue that the Boltzmann entropy is the one that corresponds to thermodynamic entropy, in particular in connection with the second law of thermodynamics. Moreover, we describe the quantum analog of the Boltzmann entropy, and we argue that the individualist (Boltzmannian) concept of equilibrium is supported by the recent works on thermalization of closed quantum systems.
We consider a closed macroscopic quantum system in a pure state ψ evolving unitarily with Hamiltonian H in a finite-dimensional Hilbert space H. Following von Neumann, we assume a decomposition of H into mutually orthogonal subspaces Hν, where each ν represents a macro state, and Hν contains the pure states compatible with ν. We define the quantum Boltzmann entropy for a macro state ν as SqB(ν)=kBlogdimHν, where kB is the Boltzmann constant. Goldstein et al. [http://arxiv.org/abs/1903.11870] have suggested, as a version of the second law of thermodynamics, that SqB predominantly increases with time for realistic macroscopic systems. Here, we discuss precise versions of this statement and confirm them for several simple models of H and Hν.
The Gibbs entropy of a macroscopic classical system is a function of a probability distribution over phase space, i.e., of an ensemble. In contrast, the Boltzmann entropy is a function on phase space, and is thus defined for an individual system. Our aim is to discuss and compare these two notions of entropy, along with the associated ensemblist and individualist views of thermal equilibrium. Using the Gibbsian ensembles for the computation of the Gibbs entropy, the two notions yield the same (leading order) values for the entropy of a macroscopic system in thermal equilibrium. The two approaches do not, however, necessarily agree for non-equilibrium systems. For those, we argue that the Boltzmann entropy is the one that corresponds to thermodynamic entropy, in particular, in connection with the second law of thermodynamics. Moreover, we describe the quantum analog of the Boltzmann entropy, and we argue that the individualist (Boltzmannian) concept of equilibrium is supported by the recent works on thermalization of closed quantum systems.
The law of increase of entropy is one of the most important laws in science but no exact explanation has been given to the origin of it. Statistical thermodynamics only explains it by using Boltzmann’s statistical interpretation together with not sufficiently verified assumptions. This paper shows that the increase of entropy in an isolated macroscopic system can be reasonably explained with no assumption based on quantum mechanics if we take into account that microscopic particles such as electrons and atomic nuclei not only move in space but also have the basic quality of spontaneously spreading into every possible spatial position. The present work allows us to give a plausible definition to the entropy of an isolated system by using the Hamiltonian operator and a wave function of it and provides a firm basis for thermodynamics. It also gives a new physical meaning of entropy effective for further studies of irreversible processes in nature.
Bridging the second law of thermodynamics and microscopic reversible dynamics has been a longstanding problem in statistical physics. Here, we address this problem on the basis of quantum many-body physics, and discuss how the entropy production saturates in isolated quantum systems under unitary dynamics. First, we rigorously prove that the entropy production does indeed saturate in the long time regime, even when the total system is in a pure state. Second, we discuss the non-negativity of the entropy production at saturation, implying the second law of thermodynamics. This is based on the eigenstate thermalization hypothesis, which states that even a single energy eigenstate is thermal. We also numerically demonstrate that the entropy production saturates at a non-negative value even when the initial state of a heat bath is a single energy eigenstate. Our results reveal fundamental properties of the entropy production in isolated quantum systems at late times.
To understand in detail the relation between unitary quantum theory that describes our world at the microscopic scale and thermodynamics, which was long believed only to apply to macroscopic objects, is one of the most interesting and long-standing problems in physics. Recently, this problem has received renewed attention, in particular from the community of quantum information theory, but also from the field of statistical mechanics, inspired from stochastic thermodynamics. These results suggest that thermodynamics is also relevant for individual quantum systems, provided that they can be brought into contact with thermal baths. In this thesis, I use recently developed tools to provide new results both on fundamental questions, but also on questions which are of practical relevance for potential miniaturized thermal machines. In terms of fundamental questions, the results in this thesis contribute to understanding how the basic laws of thermodynamics and statistical mechanics can be understood directly from unitary quantum mechanics. In particular, I discuss and answer the following questions: i) How can we quantify the third law of thermodynamics using information theoretic methods? ii) How can we quantify the "thermodynamic value" of a state-transition in quantum systems? iii) How can we axiomatically characterize the non-equilibrium free energy and relative entropy? iv) How can we justify statistical ensembles from an operational perspective, without having to introduce either some probability measures or an information theoretic entropy measure? v) How can we understand the equilibration of closed quantum systems, how long does it take and how difficult is it to avoid? In the second part of the thesis I discuss in detail how experimental restrictions, which become important at the quantum scale, influence the ultimate thermodynamic bounds for thermal machines. In particular, the results in this thesis provide thermodynamic bounds on work-extraction and efficiencies of thermal machines in situations where 1.) an experimenter only has limited field strengths available, 2.) an experimenter cannot control the interactions between particles, but external fields arbitrarily well, and 3.) situations in which a small quantum system can only be strongly coupled to heat baths. These bounds are tight and I provide explicit examples illustrating the different behaviours. Finally, I come back to a classic problem in statistical physics: The emergence of spontaneous symmetry breaking. Here, I provide general and rigorous new results that show how symmetry-breaking stationary states emerge from fluctuations in order parameters in dissipative lattice models.