Quantum power source: putting in order of a Brownian motion without Maxwell's demon
Vitaly V. Aristov, A. V. Nikulov
The problem of possible violation of the second law of thermodynamics is discussed. It is noted that the task of the well known challenge to the second law called Maxwell's demon is put in order a chaotic perpetual motion and if any ordered Brownian motion exists then the second law can be broken without this hypothetical intelligent entity. The postulate of absolute randomness of any Brownian motion saved the second law in the beginning of the 20th century when it was realized as perpetual motion. This postulate can be proven in the limits of classical mechanics but is not correct according to quantum mechanics. Moreover some enough known quantum phenomena, such as the persistent current at non-zero resistance, are an experimental evidence of the non-chaotic Brownian motion with non-zero average velocity. An experimental observation of a dc quantum power soruce is interperted as evidence of violation of the second law.
arXiv:cond-mat/0310073•Proceedings of SPIE, the International Society for Optical Engineering/Proceedings of SPIE•Jul 23, 2003•2 citations