×îÐÂÂé¶¹ÊÓÆµ

Physics

Maxwell’s demon charges quantum batteries inside of a quantum computer

A technique to charge a battery inside a quantum computer relies on sorting qubits in an imitation of Maxwell’s demon, a 19th-century thought experiment once thought to break the laws of physics

By Karmela Padavic-Callaghan

26 June 2024

Splitting qubits inside a quantum computer into high and low-energy groups can charge a battery

Shutterstock / Pavel Chukhov

A 19th-century thought experiment, considered for decades to break the laws of thermodynamics, has been brought to life inside a quantum computer and used to charge a quantum battery.

Physicist James Clerk Maxwell imagined his demon in 1867 while thinking about how to cheat the laws of thermodynamics. He considered two boxes of gas separated by a weightless door and a tiny demon that controls which particles can go through it. The demon uses this control to make one box hotter…

Sign up to our weekly newsletter

Receive a weekly dose of discovery in your inbox! We'll also keep you up to date with ×îÐÂÂé¶¹ÊÓÆµ events and special offers.

Sign up

To continue reading, today with our introductory offers

or

Existing subscribers

Sign in to your account
Piano Exit Overlay Banner Mobile Piano Exit Overlay Banner Desktop