Nonequilibrium thermodynamics of the acoustoelectric quantum vacuum

• URL: http://arxiv.org/abs/2607.12228v1
• Date: Tue, 14 Jul 2026 00:19:18 GMT
• Title: Nonequilibrium thermodynamics of the acoustoelectric quantum vacuum
• Abstract summary: We show that the acoustoelectric quantum vacuum acquires a thermal character with a temperature defined by the drift velocity and the phonon wavevector.<n> Realistic parameters yield effective temperatures of several Kelvin, establishing acoustoelectric systems as a promising platform for the investigation of quantum vacuum effects.
• Score: 0.0
• License: http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/
• Abstract: The quantum vacuum can assume thermal properties as a consequence of system kinematics, highlighting the nuance of our definition of particles in quantum field theory. Here, we explore this phenomenon in acoustoelectric systems, involving the interaction of phonons and plasmons, where the charge carriers drift at a constant velocity exceeding the speed of sound. Through an open quantum systems analysis, we show that the acoustoelectric quantum vacuum acquires a thermal character with a temperature defined by the drift velocity and the phonon wavevector. Realistic parameters yield effective temperatures of several Kelvin, establishing acoustoelectric systems as a promising platform for the investigation of quantum vacuum effects.

Related papers

• Probing quantum-coherent dynamics with free electrons [0.0]
  We develop a quantum theory modeling the dynamics of free electrons interacting with quantum emitters in arbitrary initial states.<n>Our analysis reveals that a free electron can induce transient coherent oscillations in the populations when the system is initially prepared in a coherent superposition of its states.<n>Our findings pave the way for characterization of quantum-coherent dynamics of individual quantum emitters by electron-probes.
  arXiv  Detail & Related papers  (2025-12-31T14:24:33Z)
• Divergence of thermalization rates driven by the competition between finite temperature and quantum coherence [10.256367888517563]
  We observe a divergence of thermalization rates of quantum matters when the temperature approaches zero. We find that the quantum coherence and bosonic stimulation of superfluid induces the divergence while the finite temperature and the many-body interactions are suppressing the divergence.
  arXiv  Detail & Related papers  (2024-10-30T02:10:29Z)
• Thermalization and Criticality on an Analog-Digital Quantum Simulator [133.58336306417294]
  We present a quantum simulator comprising 69 superconducting qubits which supports both universal quantum gates and high-fidelity analog evolution. We observe signatures of the classical Kosterlitz-Thouless phase transition, as well as strong deviations from Kibble-Zurek scaling predictions. We digitally prepare the system in pairwise-entangled dimer states and image the transport of energy and vorticity during thermalization.
  arXiv  Detail & Related papers  (2024-05-27T17:40:39Z)
• Superpositions of thermalisations in relativistic quantum field theory [0.12010444333169389]
  In the quantum regime, a system may fail to thermalise when subject to quantum-controlled application of the same, single thermalisation channel.<n>We show how a probe that accelerates in a superposition of spatial translations interacts with incommensurate sets of field modes.
  arXiv  Detail & Related papers  (2023-07-05T18:42:17Z)
• Thermodynamics of adiabatic quantum pumping in quantum dots [50.24983453990065]
  We consider adiabatic quantum pumping through a resonant level model, a single-level quantum dot connected to two fermionic leads. We develop a self-contained thermodynamic description of this model accounting for the variation of the energy level of the dot and the tunnelling rates with the thermal baths.
  arXiv  Detail & Related papers  (2023-06-14T16:29:18Z)
• Demonstrating Quantum Microscopic Reversibility Using Coherent States of Light [58.8645797643406]
  We propose and experimentally test a quantum generalization of the microscopic reversibility when a quantum system interacts with a heat bath. We verify that the quantum modification for the principle of microscopic reversibility is critical in the low-temperature limit.
  arXiv  Detail & Related papers  (2022-05-26T00:25:29Z)
• Non-equilibrium quantum thermodynamics of a particle trapped in a controllable time-varying potential [0.0]
  We study the dynamics of a levitated nanoparticles undergoing the transition from an harmonic potential to a double-well. We investigate the dynamics with the Wehrl entropy production and its rates. The effects and the competitions of the unitary and the dissipative parts onto the system are demonstrated.
  arXiv  Detail & Related papers  (2021-10-29T16:25:25Z)
• Taking the temperature of a pure quantum state [55.41644538483948]
  Temperature is a deceptively simple concept that still raises deep questions at the forefront of quantum physics research. We propose a scheme to measure the temperature of such pure states through quantum interference.
  arXiv  Detail & Related papers  (2021-03-30T18:18:37Z)
• Detectable Signature of Quantum Friction on a Sliding Particle in Vacuum [58.720142291102135]
  We show traces of quantum friction in the degradation of the quantum coherence of a particle. We propose to use the accumulated geometric phase acquired by a particle as a quantum friction sensor. The experimentally viable scheme presented can spark renewed optimism for the detection of non-contact friction.
  arXiv  Detail & Related papers  (2021-03-22T16:25:27Z)
• Theory of waveguide-QED with moving emitters [68.8204255655161]
  We study a system composed by a waveguide and a moving quantum emitter in the single excitation subspace. We first characterize single-photon scattering off a single moving quantum emitter, showing both nonreciprocal transmission and recoil-induced reduction of the quantum emitter motional energy.
  arXiv  Detail & Related papers  (2020-03-20T12:14:10Z)

This list is automatically generated from the titles and abstracts of the papers in this site.

This site does not guarantee the quality of this site (including all information) and is not responsible for any consequences.