Thermodynamically Consistent Lindbladians for Quantum Stochastic Thermodynamics

Abstract: We develop a Lindblad framework for quantum stochastic thermodynamics to study the nonequilibrium thermodynamics of open quantum systems. Our approach adopts the local quantum detailed balance condition, ensuring thermodynamic consistency and leading to a joint fluctuation theorem of quantum work and heat. Instead of solving the full evolution of the density matrix, we employ an effective parametrization to derive the full counting statistics of work and heat and determine the optimal protocols. As an application, we refine the quantum Brownian motion master equation to ensure the quantum detailed balance condition, derive the optimal protocols at different temperatures, and study the work statistics. Our framework provides fundamental insights and practical strategies for optimizing thermodynamic processes in open quantum systems.