Title: Optimal protocols in stochastic thermodynamics


Abstract:

Thermodynamics of small systems has become an important field of 
statistical physics. They are driven out of equilibrium by a control, 
and the question is naturally posed how such a control can be optimized. 
We show that optimization problems in small system thermodynamics are 
solved by (deterministic) optimal transport, for which very efficient 
numerical methods have been developed, and of which there are 
applications in Cosmology, fluid mechanics, logistics, and many other 
fields. We show, in particular, that minimizing expected heat released 
or work done during a non-equilibrium transition in finite time is 
solved by Burgers equation of Cosmology and mass transport by the 
Burgers velocity field. Our contribution hence considerably extends the 
range of solvable optimization problems in small system thermodynamics.