The Entropy Creation Necessary to Perform a Measurement and to Reset It

Abstract

For a measurement with only two possible outcomes 0 and 1, or a and b, the entropy creation necessary to perform the reset of the measuring apparatus is not automatically ∆S ≥ k ln 2 in all cases. The necessity to be in agreement with determinism imposes only the condition that at least one of the resets 0 → 0 or 1 → 0, or else a → 0 or b → 0, is subject to an entropy creation ∆S ≥ k ln(1 + n∈), whereas the other one may be performed in a conservative way. Examples are given to illustrate this result, which contradicts the proclaimed view that every reset creates an entropy ∆S ≥ k ln 2.