Christopher Jarzynski University of Maryland
Features of nanoscale thermodynamics
In recent decades there has been increasing interest in applying the laws of thermodynamics to systems at very small length scales, such as biomolecules, optically manipulated colloidal particles, single electron devices, and trapped ions.
At these scales, new thermodynamic features emerge that are not present, or not relevant, in macroscopic thermodynamics. I will give an overview of theoretical and experimental progress that has been made in understanding these features.
I will focus in particular on the second law of thermodynamics, how it applies to nanoscale systems, and what we have learned about non-equilibrium fluctuations, “violations” of the second law, the thermodynamic arrow of time, nanoscale feedback control, and quantum thermodynamics.
Video of the lecture
