Fundamental entropic processes in the theory of optical thermodynamics

Nikolaos K. Efremidis and Demetrios N. Christodoulides
Phys. Rev. A 103, 043517 – Published 28 April 2021

Abstract

We study the statistical behavior of multimoded optical systems under equilibrium conditions. We investigate the role of variations of the system parameters in the thermodynamic description and derive an optical analog of the first law of thermodynamics, a generic expression for the work done to the system, and an optical Gibbs-Duhem equation. To demonstrate these effects, we focus on the case of two-dimensional photonic lattices. We study the conditions under which the entropy in such waveguide arrays can be considered as extensive. In this respect, small deviations from the extensive character of the entropy give rise to stress and strain terms. We examine how the conservation laws in such array configurations are affected by variations in the system parameters, and furthermore, we analyze the respective thermodynamic processes (isentropic and Joule-type expansions).

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  • Received 27 January 2021
  • Accepted 15 April 2021

DOI:https://doi.org/10.1103/PhysRevA.103.043517

©2021 American Physical Society

Physics Subject Headings (PhySH)

Atomic, Molecular & OpticalNonlinear DynamicsStatistical Physics & Thermodynamics

Authors & Affiliations

Nikolaos K. Efremidis*

  • Department of Mathematics and Applied Mathematics, University of Crete, 70013 Heraklion, Crete, Greece and Institute of Applied and Computational Mathematics, Foundation for Research and Technology-Hellas (FORTH), 70013 Heraklion, Crete, Greece

Demetrios N. Christodoulides

  • CREOL/College of Optics, University of Central Florida, Orlando, Florida 32816, USA

  • *nefrem@uoc.gr

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Issue

Vol. 103, Iss. 4 — April 2021

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