Skip to main content
SpringerLink
Log in

Does the Third Law of Thermodynamics Hold in the Quantum Regime?

  • Published:
Journal of Statistical Physics Aims and scope Submit manuscript

Abstract

The first in a long series of papers by John T. Lewis, in collaboration with G. W. Ford and the present author, considered the problem of the most general coupling of a quantum particle to a linear passive heat bath, in the course of which they derived an exact formula for the free energy of an oscillator coupled to a heat bath in thermal equilibrium at temperature $T$. This formula, and its later extension to three dimensions to incorporate a magnetic field, has proved to be invaluable in analyzing problems in quantum thermodynamics. Here, we address the question raised in our title viz. Nernst’s third law of thermodynamics.

This is a preview of subscription content, log in via an institution to check access.

Access this article

Log in via an institution

Price excludes VAT (USA)
Tax calculation will be finalised during checkout.

Instant access to the full article PDF.

Institutional subscriptions

Similar content being viewed by others

References

  1. V. Capek and D. P. Sheehan. Challenges to the Second Law of Thermodynamics. Springer, The Netherlands (2005).

    MATH  Google Scholar 

  2. Proceedings of the Conference on Frontiers of Quantum and Mesoscopic Thermodynamics, edited by V. Shicka and T. Nieuwenhuizen Physica E 29 (2005).

  3. Quantum Limits to the Second Law: First International Conference on Quantum Limits to the Second Law, edited by D. P. Sheehan AIP Conference Proceedings 643, 2002.

  4. Th. M. Nieuwenhuizen and A. E. Allahverdyan. Phys. Rev. E 66:036102 (2002).

    Article  ADS  Google Scholar 

  5. G. W. Ford and R. F. O’Connell, pp. 82–86, Ref. 2.

  6. G. W. Ford, J. T. Lewis and R. F. O’Connell. Phys. Rev. Lett. 55:2273 (1985), Eq. (5).

  7. X. L. Li, G. W. Ford and R. F. O’Connell. Phys. Rev. A 41:5287 (1990); ibid. Phys. Rev. A 42:4519 (1990).

  8. M. Hillery, R. F. O’Connell, M. O. Scully and E. P. Wigner. Phys. Rep. 106:121 (1984).

    Article  ADS  MathSciNet  Google Scholar 

  9. R. P. Feynman. Statistical Mechanics, edited by W. A. Benjamin, Reading, Mass., p. 52 (1972).

  10. G. W. Ford, J. T. Lewis and R. F. O’Connell. J. Stat. Phys. 53:439 (1988).

    Article  ADS  MathSciNet  Google Scholar 

  11. G. W. Ford and R. F. O’Connell. Phys. Rev. Lett. 96:020402 (2006).

    Article  ADS  MathSciNet  Google Scholar 

Download references

Author information

Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Physics and Astronomy, Louisiana State University, Baton Rouge, LA, 70803-4001, USA

    R. F. O’connell

Authors
  1. R. F. O’connell
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

Additional information

PACS numbers: 05.30.-d, 05.40.-a, 05.70.-a.

The author dedicates this paper to the memory of John T. Lewis, a collaborator over two decades and a wonderful friend. He is sorely missed.

Rights and permissions

Reprints and permissions

About this article

Cite this article

O’connell, R.F. Does the Third Law of Thermodynamics Hold in the Quantum Regime?. J Stat Phys 124, 15–23 (2006). https://doi.org/10.1007/s10955-006-9151-6

Download citation

  • Received:

  • Accepted:

  • Published:

  • Issue Date:

  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s10955-006-9151-6

Keywords

Search

Navigation