Abstract: We present a protocol for the study of the dynamics and thermodynamics of quantum systems strongly coupled to a bath and subject to an external modulation. Our protocol quantifies the evolution of the system-bath composite by expanding the full density matrix as a series in the powers of the modulation rate, from which the functional form of work, heat, and entropy rates can be obtained. Under slow driving, thermodynamic laws are established. The entropy production rate is positive and is found to be related to the excess work dissipated by fri...
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Topics: 
Thermodynamics
Statistical physics
Quantum mechanics