Masahito Ueda Abstract

Maxwell's demon, the second law, and the minimum energy cost for measurement and erasure of information

ABSTRACT:

The second law of thermodynamics presupposes a clear-cut distinction between the controllable and uncontrollable degrees of freedom by means of macroscopic operations. The cutting-edge technologies in quantum information and nano-science seem to force us to abandon such a notion in favor of the distinction between the accessible and inaccessible degrees of freedom. In this talk, I will discuss the implications of this paradigm shift by focusing on how the second law of thermodynamics can be generalized in the presence of a feedback control. I will also discuss the minimum work required for measurement and erasure of information.