In this theoretical work we study three theorems that establish limitations to three basic processes in thermodynamics: an adiabatic process, an erasure process and a work extraction process. We propose a theoretical setting that allows us to model these three processes using a fully quantum formalism. Using this picture, we explore the fundamental limitations that affect the processes. As a conclusion, we give a general view to the origin of these limitations.
Description: In the context of quantum thermodynamics the Landauer's principle and the Szilard engine are usually presented as the paradigmatic examples of the inter-convertibility between information and work. Besides, the fluctuation-dissipation theorems (Jarzynski and Crooks equalities) take into account the quantum effects in work extraction. By means of resource theoretic tools, we aim to develop a framework that unifies all the above phenomena as manifestations of the same fundamental principle: quantum channels with energy conservation constraints.
