Experimental Observation of the Role of Mutual Information in the Nonequilibrium Dynamics of a Maxwell Demon

J. V. Koski, V. F. Maisi, T. Sagawa, J. P. Pekola
2014 Physical Review Letters  
We validate experimentally a fluctuation relation known as generalized Jarzynski equality (GJE) governing the work distribution in a feedback-controlled system. The feedback control is performed on a single electron box analogously to the original Szilard engine. In GJE, mutual information is treated on an equal footing with the thermodynamic work. Our results clarify the role of the mutual information in thermodynamics of irreversible processes.
doi:10.1103/physrevlett.113.030601 pmid:25083623 fatcat:k6wtr3hzavdh3fphqgqszkww4i