Abstract
One of the outstanding challenges to information processing is the eloquent suppression of energy consumption in the execution of logic operations. The Landauer principle sets an energy constraint in deletion of a classical bit of information. Although some attempts have been made to experimentally approach the fundamental limit restricted by this principle, exploring the Landauer principle in a purely quantum mechanical fashion is still an open question. Employing a trapped ultracold ion, we experimentally demonstrate a quantum version of the Landauer principle, i.e., an equality associated with the energy cost of information erasure in conjunction with the entropy change of the associated quantized environment. Our experimental investigation substantiates an intimate link between information thermodynamics and quantum candidate systems for information processing.
- Received 9 February 2018
- Revised 10 March 2018
- Corrected 16 July 2019
DOI:https://doi.org/10.1103/PhysRevLett.120.210601
© 2018 American Physical Society
Physics Subject Headings (PhySH)
Corrections
16 July 2019
Correction: The omission of a support statement in the Acknowledgment section has been fixed.
Viewpoint
Landauer Principle Stands up to Quantum Test
Published 21 May 2018
A fundamental limit on the heat produced when erasing a bit of information has been confirmed in a fully quantum system.
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