Catalytic leverage of correlations and mitigation of dissipation in Information erasure

Abstract

Correlations are a valuable resource for quantum information processing and quantum thermodynamics. However, the preparation of some correlated states can carry a substantial cost that should be compared against its value. We show that classical correlations can be catalytically exploited, which enables to mitigate heat and entropy dissipation in information erasure. These correlations are naturally generated by the erasure process, and thus can be considered free. Although we also show that maximum erasure with minimum dissipation and no correlations is theoretically possible, catalysts are always useful in practical erasure settings, where correlations are expected to take place.

Operational definition of the temperature of a quantum state

“…We do not restrict the reference frame's state, however, we only allow for interactions that do not modify its state, ensuring the newly introduced system is not a source of non-equilibrium in itself. This is equivalent to quantum catalysis, a phenomenon that has been applied in multiple frameworks [32][33][34][35][36][37][59][60][61][62][63][64][65]. Contrary to the usual understanding of catalysis, however, here the main purpose of the catalyst is enabling a local violation of the time-translation symmetry on the system A.…”

Operational Definition of the Temperature of a Quantum State

“…Catalysis and the role of quantum coherence.-We now explore the possibility of exploiting energy coherences via the concept of catalysis [43][44][45][46][47][48]66,[70][71][72][73][74][75][76][77][78][79]. In this case an auxiliary system (the catalyst) provides a phase reference for the main system.…”