The nonequilibrium thermodynamics of small systems

Felix Ritort

doi:10.1016/j.crhy.2007.04.018

The nonequilibrium thermodynamics of small systems
[La thermodynamique de non-équilibre des petits systèmes]

Felix Ritort ^1,²

¹ Department de Fisica Fonamental, Faculty of Physics, Universitat de Barcelona, Diagonal 647, 08028 Barcelona, Spain
² CIBER de Bioingeniería, Biomateriales y Nanomedicina, Instituto de Sanidad Carlos III C/Sinesio Delgado 6, Madrid, Spain

Comptes Rendus. Physique, Volume 8 (2007) no. 5-6, pp. 528-539.

Résumé
Abstract

La thermodynamique de non-équilibre des petits systèmes décrit les processus d'échanges d'énergie entre un système et son environnement dans le domaine des basses énergies de quelques $k_{B} T$ où les fluctuations browniennes sont dominantes. Le but principal de cette discipline est d'identifier les blocs de construction d'une théorie générale décrivant les fluctuations d'énergie dans les processus de non-équilibre se produisant dans des systèmes s'étendant depuis la physique de la matière condensée jusqu'à la biophysique. Dans cet article, je discute quelques aspects des théorèmes de fluctuations et de la thermodynamique des chemins qui nécessitent une meilleure compréhension des grandes déviations en physique statistique de non-équilibre. Je montre aussi comment les expériences sur des molécules individuelles constituent une précieuse source de connaissance et d'information qui peut contribuer grandement à dévoiler les questions les plus importantes et pertinentes dans ce passionnant domaine de recherche.

Nonequilibrium thermodynamics of small systems describes energy exchange processes between a system and its environment in the low energy range of a few $k_{B} T$ where Brownian fluctuations are dominant. The main goal of this discipline is to identify the building blocks of a general theory describing energy fluctuations in nonequilibrium processes occurring in systems ranging from condensed matter physics to biophysics. In this article I discuss some aspects about fluctuation theorems and path thermodynamics that call for the necessity of a better understanding of large deviations in nonequilibrium statistical physics. I also emphasize how single molecule experiments are a valuable source of knowledge and information that can greatly contribute to the unveiling of the most important and relevant questions in this exciting field of research.

Reçu le : 2007-03-26
Publié le : 2007-06-01

DOI : 10.1016/j.crhy.2007.04.018

Keywords: Nonequilibrium thermodynamics, Single molecule experiments, Molecular biophysics
Mot clés : Thermodynamique de non-équilibre, Expériences sur des molécules individuelles, Biophysique moléculaire

Affiliations des auteurs :

Felix Ritort ^{1, 2}

¹ Department de Fisica Fonamental, Faculty of Physics, Universitat de Barcelona, Diagonal 647, 08028 Barcelona, Spain
² CIBER de Bioingeniería, Biomateriales y Nanomedicina, Instituto de Sanidad Carlos III C/Sinesio Delgado 6, Madrid, Spain

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     doi = {10.1016/j.crhy.2007.04.018},
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Felix Ritort. The nonequilibrium thermodynamics of small systems. Comptes Rendus. Physique, Volume 8 (2007) no. 5-6, pp. 528-539. doi : 10.1016/j.crhy.2007.04.018. https://comptes-rendus.academie-sciences.fr/physique/articles/10.1016/j.crhy.2007.04.018/

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