{"paper":{"title":"Quantum thermodynamics with uncertain equilibrium","license":"http://arxiv.org/licenses/nonexclusive-distrib/1.0/","headline":"Uncertain equilibrium states impose a no-go theorem on athermality purification in quantum thermodynamics.","cross_cats":["cs.IT","math.IT"],"primary_cat":"quant-ph","authors_text":"Kun Fang, Munan Zhang","submitted_at":"2026-04-15T06:16:00Z","abstract_excerpt":"The resource-theoretic approach to quantum thermodynamics typically assumes perfect knowledge of the thermal equilibrium state, an idealization incompatible with finite experimental precision. We develop a framework for equilibrium uncertainty by representing the equilibrium reference as a set of candidate states. Under a generic geometric condition, we prove a no-go theorem that sharply limits athermality ``purification'': converting an uncertain athermal state into a definite target is either trivial or impossible. We then derive exact one-shot entropic characterizations of work extraction a"},"claims":{"count":4,"items":[{"kind":"strongest_claim","text":"Under a generic geometric condition, we prove a no-go theorem that sharply limits athermality 'purification': conversion from an uncertain athermality resource to a definite target is either trivial or impossible, with no room for tradeoff.","source":"verdict.strongest_claim","status":"machine_extracted","claim_id":"C1","attestation":"unclaimed"},{"kind":"weakest_assumption","text":"The generic geometric condition on the set of candidate equilibrium states that enables the no-go theorem for athermality purification.","source":"verdict.weakest_assumption","status":"machine_extracted","claim_id":"C2","attestation":"unclaimed"},{"kind":"one_line_summary","text":"Quantum thermodynamics with uncertain equilibrium leads to a no-go theorem on athermality purification and strong irreversibility in battery models, with work extraction and formation characterized by min- and max-relative entropies and new subspace-constrained variants.","source":"verdict.one_line_summary","status":"machine_extracted","claim_id":"C3","attestation":"unclaimed"},{"kind":"headline","text":"Uncertain equilibrium states impose a no-go theorem on athermality purification in quantum thermodynamics.","source":"verdict.pith_extraction.headline","status":"machine_extracted","claim_id":"C4","attestation":"unclaimed"}],"snapshot_sha256":"c9f8e9538f9dd3f7b738d1d357a5418b747dcde5755175c446be855cc02f116d"},"source":{"id":"2604.13524","kind":"arxiv","version":2},"verdict":{"id":"5d7584ea-1660-4448-b884-724adaa6e963","model_set":{"reader":"grok-4.3"},"created_at":"2026-05-10T13:12:54.161941Z","strongest_claim":"Under a generic geometric condition, we prove a no-go theorem that sharply limits athermality 'purification': conversion from an uncertain athermality resource to a definite target is either trivial or impossible, with no room for tradeoff.","one_line_summary":"Quantum thermodynamics with uncertain equilibrium leads to a no-go theorem on athermality purification and strong irreversibility in battery models, with work extraction and formation characterized by min- and max-relative entropies and new subspace-constrained variants.","pipeline_version":"pith-pipeline@v0.9.0","weakest_assumption":"The generic geometric condition on the set of candidate equilibrium states that enables the no-go theorem for athermality purification.","pith_extraction_headline":"Uncertain equilibrium states impose a no-go theorem on athermality purification in quantum thermodynamics."},"integrity":{"clean":true,"summary":{"advisory":0,"critical":0,"by_detector":{},"informational":0},"endpoint":"/pith/2604.13524/integrity.json","findings":[],"available":true,"detectors_run":[],"snapshot_sha256":"c28c3603d3b5d939e8dc4c7e95fa8dfce3d595e45f758748cecf8e644a296938"},"references":{"count":0,"sample":[],"resolved_work":0,"snapshot_sha256":"258153158e38e3291e3d48162225fcdb2d5a3ed65a07baac614ab91432fd4f57","internal_anchors":0},"formal_canon":{"evidence_count":0,"snapshot_sha256":"258153158e38e3291e3d48162225fcdb2d5a3ed65a07baac614ab91432fd4f57"},"author_claims":{"count":0,"strong_count":0,"snapshot_sha256":"258153158e38e3291e3d48162225fcdb2d5a3ed65a07baac614ab91432fd4f57"},"builder_version":"pith-number-builder-2026-05-17-v1"}