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| Main Authors: | , , |
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| Format: | Preprint |
| Published: |
2025
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| Subjects: | |
| Online Access: | https://arxiv.org/abs/2512.24540 |
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| _version_ | 1866912827117142016 |
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| author | DAmbrosia, Samuel. H. Zhong, Adrianne DeWeese, Michael R. |
| author_facet | DAmbrosia, Samuel. H. Zhong, Adrianne DeWeese, Michael R. |
| contents | Linear response theory has found many applications in statistical physics. One of these is to compute minimal-work protocols that drive nonequilibrium systems between different thermodynamic states, which are useful for designing engineered nanoscale systems and understanding biomolecular machines. We compare and explore the relationships between linear-response-based approximations used to study optimal protocols in different driving regimes by showing that they arise as controlled truncations of a general causal response (Volterra) expansion. We then construct higher-order response terms and discuss the drawbacks and utility of their inclusion. We illustrate our results for an overdamped particle in a harmonic trap, ultimately showing that the inclusion of higher-order response in calculating optimal protocols provides marginal improvement in effectiveness despite incurring a significant computational expense, while introducing the possibility of predicting arbitrarily low and unphysical negative excess work. |
| format | Preprint |
| id |
arxiv_https___arxiv_org_abs_2512_24540 |
| institution | arXiv |
| publishDate | 2025 |
| record_format | arxiv |
| spellingShingle | Higher-order response theory in optimal stochastic thermodynamics DAmbrosia, Samuel. H. Zhong, Adrianne DeWeese, Michael R. Statistical Mechanics Linear response theory has found many applications in statistical physics. One of these is to compute minimal-work protocols that drive nonequilibrium systems between different thermodynamic states, which are useful for designing engineered nanoscale systems and understanding biomolecular machines. We compare and explore the relationships between linear-response-based approximations used to study optimal protocols in different driving regimes by showing that they arise as controlled truncations of a general causal response (Volterra) expansion. We then construct higher-order response terms and discuss the drawbacks and utility of their inclusion. We illustrate our results for an overdamped particle in a harmonic trap, ultimately showing that the inclusion of higher-order response in calculating optimal protocols provides marginal improvement in effectiveness despite incurring a significant computational expense, while introducing the possibility of predicting arbitrarily low and unphysical negative excess work. |
| title | Higher-order response theory in optimal stochastic thermodynamics |
| topic | Statistical Mechanics |
| url | https://arxiv.org/abs/2512.24540 |