Fluctuation relation for qubit calorimetry

Phys Rev E. 2016 Dec;94(6-1):062127. doi: 10.1103/PhysRevE.94.062127. Epub 2016 Dec 20.

Abstract

Motivated by proposed thermometry measurement on an open quantum system, we present a simple model of an externally driven qubit interacting with a finite-sized fermion environment acting as a calorimeter. The derived dynamics is governed by a stochastic Schrödinger equation coupled to the temperature change of the calorimeter. We prove a fluctuation relation and deduce from it a notion of entropy production. Finally, we discuss the first and second law associated with the dynamics.