Figure 1
From: Thermodynamics and efficiency of an autonomous on-chip Maxwell’s demon
Schematic of the setup and the cooling cycle.
Left panel: A schematic picture of voltage biased SET capacitively coupled to an SEB detector, which acts as the Demon in the setup. Without seeing the Demon, the observer sees the SET system cooling even though the current runs through it. This would be a violation of Joule’s law and second law of thermodynamics. However, the second law is retained by the heat dissipation in the Demon. Image by Heikka Valja. Right panel: The cooling cycle and dissipation in each step of the cycle. System tunneling events use thermal fluctuations to move the electron against the energy barrier. These events, illustrated in up and bottom images are accompanied by negative dissipation and cooling of the system. The Demon tunneling events on the contrary dissipate and thus heat up the Demon.
