Facts and myths about zero-point thermal noise, and information entropy versus thermal entropy
Conference Paper
Overview
Research
Identity
Additional Document Info
Other
View All
Overview
abstract
2017 IEEE. In this talk, we are briefly surveying our recent results [1-3] about two very popular yet often misunderstood concepts in physical informatics: (i) The existence of Johnson noise at near to absolute zero temperature has been debated many times yet it is generally accepted [1]. We point out the fundamental problems [2] with the particular approach the related quantum theories [4] of Fluctuation-Dissipation Theorem are using. Then we prove that the existence of zero-point noise would allow the construction of a perpetual motion machine [1]. Finally, we cite early works pointing out that the observed "zeropoint" noise in experiments [7] with phase-sensitive linear amplifiers is an amplifier-noise [5,6] due to the uncertainty principle, and it does not exist in the resistor in an objective way, independently from the measurement [1,2]. Thus a correct derivation of the Fluctuation-Dissipation Theorem must include [1] the type of experimental setup used for the measurement. (ii) The general opinion is that information entropy and thermal entropy are interchangeable. This belief triggered Brillouin's negentropy principle of information [8], and Landauer's claimed principle [9] about energy dissipation during information erasure that has been debated on many occasions [10-19]. Here we show the newest and perhaps the simplest arguments [3] proving that the two types of entropies are apples and oranges and are not interchangeable.
name of conference
2017 International Conference on Noise and Fluctuations (ICNF)