RECTIFYING THERMAL FLUCTUATIONS: MINIMAL PUMPING AND MAXWELL'S DEMON

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dc.contributor.advisorJarzynski, Christopheren_US
dc.contributor.authorMandal, Dibyenduen_US
dc.contributor.departmentPhysicsen_US
dc.contributor.publisherDigital Repository at the University of Marylanden_US
dc.contributor.publisherUniversity of Maryland (College Park, Md.)en_US
dc.date.accessioned2013-10-04T05:31:46Z
dc.date.available2013-10-04T05:31:46Z
dc.date.issued2013en_US
dc.description.abstractMolecular complexes with movable components form the basis of nanoscale machines. Their inherent stochastic nature makes it a challenge to generate any controllable movement. Rather than fighting these fluctuations, one can utilize them by the periodic modulation of system parameters, or stochastic pumping. For the no-pumping theorem (NPT), which establishes minimal conditions for directed pumping, we present a simplified proof using an elementary graph theoretical construction. Motivated by recent experiments, we propose a new class of "hybrid" models combining elements of both the purely discrete and purely continuous descriptions prevalent in the field. We formulate the NPT in this hybrid framework to give a detailed justification of the original experiment observation. We also present an extension of the NPT to open stochastic systems. Next we consider the paradox of "Maxwell's demon," an imaginary intelligent being that rectifies thermal fluctuations in a manner that seems to violate the second law of thermodynamics. We present two exactly solvable, autonomous models that can reproduce the actions of the demon. Of necessity, both of these models write information on a memory device as part of their operation. By exposing their explicit, transparent mechanisms, our models offer simple paradigms to investigate the autonomous rectification of thermal fluctuations and the thermodynamics of information processing.en_US
dc.identifier.urihttp://hdl.handle.net/1903/14537
dc.subject.pqcontrolledPhysicsen_US
dc.subject.pquncontrolledArtificial molecular machinesen_US
dc.subject.pquncontrolledHybrid modelsen_US
dc.subject.pquncontrolledLandauer's principleen_US
dc.subject.pquncontrolledMarkov processesen_US
dc.subject.pquncontrolledMaxwell's demonen_US
dc.subject.pquncontrolledStochastic pumpingen_US
dc.titleRECTIFYING THERMAL FLUCTUATIONS: MINIMAL PUMPING AND MAXWELL'S DEMONen_US
dc.typeDissertationen_US

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