Research

My current topic of research is QUANTUM THERMODYNAMICS

See here for a Nature News Feature on this timely field of research published Nov. 2 2017 (See also here for the Italian translation appeared in Le Scienze, Nov. 4 2017).

In my work I look for the impact of quantum effects, such as coherence, entanglement and invasive measurements, on the thermodynamic performance of quantum systems and devices. My research indicates that the laws of thermodynamics hold unaltered for small quantum systems, therefore I do not agree that "There is reason to suspect that the laws of thermodynamics, which are based on how large numbers of particles behave, are different in the quantum realm".

I am happy to supervise Undergraduate/Master/PhD students willing to pursue projects in quantum thermodynamics or more generally non-equilibrium thermodynamics of small systems and devices and statistical physics. On these topics I have established collaborations with international teams with theoretical, numerical, and experimental expertise.

The topic of research includes

• Thermodynamics of quantum computation [DOI] [physicsworld]
• Impact of quantum measurements and feedback control on thermodynamic performance of quantum heat engines [DOI] [Physics]
• Fast charging of quantum batteries [DOI], [physicsworld]
• Development of quantum heat engines based on superconducting circuits [DOI], [DOI], [DOI]
• Quenches in many-body quantum systems: equivalence of ensembles in non-equilibrium processes [DOI], scrambing of quantum information [DOI], non-equilibrium signatures of quantum phase transitions [DOI]
• Mechanical foundations of thermodynamics and statistical physics [DOI]