Wigner Entropy Production Rate

Abstract

The characterization of irreversibility in general quantum processes is an open problem of increasing technological relevance. Yet, the tools currently available to this aim are mostly limited to the assessment of dynamics induced by equilibrium environments, a situation that often does not match the reality of experiments at the microscopic and mesoscopic scale. We propose a theory of irreversible entropy production that is suited for quantum systems exposed to general, nonequilibrium reservoirs. We illustrate our framework by addressing a set of physically relevant situations that clarify both the features and the potential of our proposal.