Measurement of Kirkwood–Dirac quasiprobability distributions in open quantum systems

Develop and demonstrate methods to measure Kirkwood–Dirac quasiprobability distributions of work in open quantum systems, extending recent closed-system and ancilla-assisted interferometric schemes to include dissipative dynamics.

Background

NV centers provide a versatile platform for studying quantum thermodynamics, enabling demonstrations of power advantages in quantum heat engines and signatures of coherence in entropy production. Recent experiments have accessed work statistics via weak-TPM and ancilla-assisted interferometry in closed systems by reconstructing Kirkwood–Dirac quasiprobabilities (KDQ).

However, translating these KDQ measurement techniques to open quantum systems remains unresolved, limiting the exploration of nonclassical work statistics under realistic dissipative conditions.