We demonstrate experimentally that, applying optimal protocols that drive the system between two equilibrium states characterized by a free energy difference $\mathrm{\Delta }F$, we can maximize the probability of performing the transition between the two states with a work $W$ smaller than $\mathrm{\Delta }F$. The second law holds only on average, resulting in the inequality $⟨W⟩\ge \mathrm{\Delta }F$. The experiment is performed using an underdamped oscillator evolving in a double-well potential. We show that with a suitable choice of parameters the probability of obtaining trajectories with $W\le \mathrm{\Delta }F$ can be larger than 95%. Very fast protocols are a key feature to obtain these results, which are explained in terms of the Jarzynski equality.

Close

PrevNext

View figure in article

• Classical mechanics
• Fluctuations & noise
• Stochastic thermodynamics
• Thermodynamics