Understanding Information Engines
Submission Type
Synchronous Research Talk
Area of Study or Work
Physics
Zoom Meeting
Faculty Advisor
Gabriel Spalding
Expected Graduation Date
2022
Start Date
4-11-2021 2:00 PM
End Date
4-11-2021 3:00 PM
Abstract
Title: Understanding the capabilities of information engines
Our information engine will consist of an optical trap that holds a nanoparticle in water, well away from any physical boundaries. The optical forces constitute a holographic environment, real to the particle, but programmable by us. In this environment which we can modify, the particle is governed by brownian mechanics, but by creating a feedback loop that makes use of information about the particle’s upward motion, we can develop an engine that can store gravitational potential energy extracted from information on the particle's position. Information engines are heat engines that create work by consuming the information of a thermodynamic system, allowing for efficiencies unaccounted for by the classical second law of thermodynamics. Studying information engines is important for testing both differential fluctuation theorems and fluctuation theorems more generally. Exploring the limitations of this type of engine can pave the way for a robust understanding of the relationship between information and energy.
Understanding Information Engines
Title: Understanding the capabilities of information engines
Our information engine will consist of an optical trap that holds a nanoparticle in water, well away from any physical boundaries. The optical forces constitute a holographic environment, real to the particle, but programmable by us. In this environment which we can modify, the particle is governed by brownian mechanics, but by creating a feedback loop that makes use of information about the particle’s upward motion, we can develop an engine that can store gravitational potential energy extracted from information on the particle's position. Information engines are heat engines that create work by consuming the information of a thermodynamic system, allowing for efficiencies unaccounted for by the classical second law of thermodynamics. Studying information engines is important for testing both differential fluctuation theorems and fluctuation theorems more generally. Exploring the limitations of this type of engine can pave the way for a robust understanding of the relationship between information and energy.