Abstract
The characteristic function of the work performed by an external time-dependent force on a Hamiltonian quantum system is identified with the time-ordered correlation function of the exponentiated system’s Hamiltonian. A similar expression is obtained for the averaged exponential work which is related to the free energy difference of equilibrium systems by the Jarzynski work theorem.
- Received 7 March 2007
DOI:https://doi.org/10.1103/PhysRevE.75.050102
©2007 American Physical Society