Abstract Establishing a concrete link between quantum information measures and thermodynamic quantities remains a significant challenge in contemporary research. This paper presents novel contributions exploring three key aspects. First, we investigate the relationship between quantum Fisher information (QFI) and work and heat exchange during a feedback control measurement cycle, unveiling a quantitative interplay between energy and information. Second, we demonstrate the behavior of heat exchange with the environment at the point of maximum estimation precision, and a direct relation that links the von Neumann entropy in systems with a large number of microstates with the precision of the estimation through QFI, shedding light on the thermodynamic signature of optimal quantum parameter estimation, bridging quantum metrology, and statistical thermodynamics in the context of high-dimensional stochastic systems. Finally, we propose a method for detecting entanglement based on thermodynamic work, introducing a framework to identify entanglement through energy considerations in a quantum system. Together, these findings advance our understanding of the intersection between quantum information theory and quantum thermodynamics, providing an additional foundation for future research.
Abstract Establishing a concrete link between quantum information measures and thermodynamic quantities remains a significant challenge in contemporary research. This paper presents novel contributions exploring three key aspects. First, we investigate the relationship between quantum Fisher information (QFI) and work and heat exchange during a feedback control measurement cycle, unveiling a quantitative interplay between energy and information. Second, we demonstrate the behavior of heat exchange with the environment at the point of maximum estimation precision, and a direct relation that links the von Neumann entropy in systems with a large number of microstates with the precision of the estimation through QFI, shedding light on the thermodynamic signature of optimal quantum parameter estimation, bridging quantum metrology, and statistical thermodynamics in the context of high-dimensional stochastic systems. Finally, we propose a method for detecting entanglement based on thermodynamic work, introducing a framework to identify entanglement through energy considerations in a quantum system. Together, these findings advance our understanding of the intersection between quantum information theory and quantum thermodynamics, providing an additional foundation for future research.
This paper presents a comprehensive exposition of quantum thermodynamics, aiming to bridge the foundational concepts of classical thermodynamics and quantum mechanics.Beginning with a rigorous overview of classical thermodynamic laws and statistical ensembles, the work transitions into the quantum domain by introducing quantum states, density operators, and von Neumann entropy.Core thermodynamic quantities such as work, heat, energy, and entropy are redefined in the quantum regime, with emphasis on operational frameworks like the twopoint measurement scheme.The study explores the role of quantum resource theories in formulating generalizations of the second law and delves into the intricacies of nonequilibrium thermodynamics through fluctuation theorems, such as the Jarzynski equality and Crooks theorem.Special attention is given to the influence of coherence, entanglement, and measurement backaction, which contribute uniquely to quantum thermodynamic behavior.The treatise concludes with a discussion on quantum heat engines, thermodynamic consistency of quantum master equations, and information-theoretic approaches, establishing quantum thermodynamics as a vital framework for understanding energy and information flow at the quantum scale.
A central open question in quantum thermodynamics is the identification of thermodynamic entropy away from equilibrium. Although thermodynamic entropy coincides with the von Neumann entropy for a Gibbs state at equilibrium, the thermodynamic role of quantum coherence generated during nonequilibrium evolution remains unclear. Here, we show that von Neumann entropy does not, in general, represent the thermodynamic entropy governing heat exchange in coherent nonequilibrium quantum systems. By integrating the resource theory of quantum coherence with thermodynamic principles, we develop a general framework for nonequilibrium quantum thermodynamics. We identify thermodynamic entropy with the energy entropy derived from energy-measurement statistics and introduce a dynamical temperature extending the equilibrium concept to nonequilibrium states. Consequently, we obtain an exact entropy-balance relation separating the entropy flux associated with heat exchange from the coherence-loss contribution to entropy production, establishing an operational connection between quantum coherence, heat flow, and total entropy change. Unlike approaches relying on equilibrium reference states or stationary Gibbs ensembles, our framework uses instantaneous dynamical quantities and remains valid throughout transient nonequilibrium evolution. It provides consistent dynamical definitions of temperature, work, heat, and free energy. Applying the formalism to an exactly solvable open quantum system, we show that the first and second laws hold throughout transient evolution and that equilibrium thermodynamics emerges dynamically in the weak-coupling long-time limit. Our results establish a unified framework for coherent nonequilibrium quantum thermodynamics and suggest opportunities for controlling heat dissipation through coherence engineering in quantum thermal technologies.
We derive the quantum Fisher information for entropy estimation in a Gibbs state and show that it equals the inverse of the heat capacity, which is dual to the temperature Fisher information given by the heat capacity divided by the square of the temperature. Their product is independent of the Hamiltonian and depends only on the temperature, leading to a metrological uncertainty relation between the variances of entropy and temperature estimators in which all system-specific quantities cancel. This relation arises from the dually-flat structure of the Gibbs exponential family expressed in thermodynamic coordinates, and holds for all standard thermodynamically conjugate pairs. We identify energy measurement as the optimal protocol for entropy estimation, analyse critical-point scaling where the entropy Fisher information vanishes, and connect it to the Ruppeiner metric in entropy coordinates. We lastly examine the distinguished role of the von Neumann entropy within the Rényi family. Generalisations to the grand canonical and generalised Gibbs ensembles are given.
The heat dissipation in quantum metrology represents not only an unavoidable problem towards practical applications of quantum sensing devices but also a fundamental relationship between thermodynamics and quantum metrology. However, a general thermodynamic principle which governs the rule of energy consumption in quantum metrology, similar to Landauer's principle for heat dissipation in computations, has remained elusive. Here, we establish such a physical principle for energy consumption in order to achieve a certain level of measurement precision in quantum metrology, and show that it is intrinsically determined by the erasure of quantum Fisher information. The principle provides a powerful tool to investigate the advantage of quantum resources, not only in measurement precision but also in energy efficiency. It also serves as a bridge between thermodynamics and various fundamental physical concepts related in quantum physics and quantum information theory.
Quantum thermodynamics has emerged as a central field for understanding how energy conversion processes occur in microscopic systems. In these systems, effects such as coherence, entanglement, and non-Markovianity play key roles. In this thesis, we explore different ways to describe quantum thermodynamics, using two main approaches: one based on entropy and the other on ergotropy. First, we introduce a generalized approach to quantify non-Markovianity through the breakdown of monotonicity in thermodynamic functions. In this context, the entropy-based heat flow serves as a practical tool to witness and measure quantum memory in unital maps that do not reverse the sign of the internal energy. Next, we analyze the dynamics of ergotropy in open qubits under both Markovian and non-Markovian evolutions. We identify phenomena such as freezing and sudden death of ergotropy, and we establish an analytical relation between the change in ergotropy and the environment-induced work . This provides a clear physical interpretation for the additional term in the first law in the entropy-based formulation. Finally, we propose an ergotropy-based thermodynamic formulation, in which heat is reinterpreted in terms of the change of the passive state associated with the density operator governing the quantum dynamics. This approach allows one to measure non-Markovianity of unital maps more generally and accurately than the entropy-based heat flow. This advantage comes from the direct link between heat and von Neumann entropy, a property ensured by invariance under passive transformations. Moreover, the out-of-equilibrium temperature naturally remains non-negative, similarly to equilibrium thermodynamics.
Quantum Fisher information (QFI) quantifies the sensitivity of a quantum state to a parameter change and plays a key role in quantum metrology. Meanwhile, quantum coherence is a crucial resource for quantum information processing. However, despite extensive studies on various aspects of quantum metrology, the interplay between the dynamics of the QFI and quantum coherence remains unexplored. Here, we explore the factorization relationship between the QFI and quantum coherence, both theoretically and experimentally. We prepare pure states in qubit and qutrit systems and apply unitary evolution to investigate this relationship. Our results confirm the factorization law, offering strong evidence for this relationship. Furthermore, we establish a lower bound on the variance of the estimated parameter that does not require the final state information. This approach reveals a deep connection between the QFI and quantum coherence, providing insights into quantum parameter estimation. These findings have potential applications in quantum sensing and quantum metrology.