Non-equilibrium thermodynamics can provide strong advantages when compared to more standard equilibrium situations. Here, we present a general framework to study its application to concrete problems, which is valid also beyond the assumption of a Gaussian dynamics. We consider two different problems: 1) the dynamics of a levitated nanoparticle undergoing the transition from an harmonic to a double-well potential; 2) the transfer of a quantum state across a double-well potential through classical and quantum protocols. In both cases, we assume that the system undergoes to decoherence and thermalisation. In case 1), we construct a numerical approach to the problem and study the non-equilibrium thermodynamics of the system. In case 2), we introduce a new figure of merit to quantify the efficiency of a state-transfer protocol and apply it to quantum and classical versions of such protocols.

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Qiongyuan Wu and Matteo Carlesso, "Non-equilibrium quantum thermodynamics of a particle trapped in a controllable time-varying potential," Proc. SPIE 12447, Quantum Sensing, Imaging, and Precision Metrology, 1244714 (Presented at SPIE Quantum West: February 01, 2023; Published: 8 March 2023); https://doi.org/10.1117/12.2657707.