Patent Description:
For illustrating background art reference is made to the following prior art:.

Non-reciprocal devices, i.e., devices that let waves pass differently in one direction than in the other, are widely used in radar technology [<NUM>] and optics [<NUM>]. They have also been implemented, for example, as devices based on plasmons, magnons, electromagnons, and sound waves (see, e.g., [<NUM>-<NUM>]). Non-reciprocal devices for de Broglie waves can be realized [<NUM>] by using Rashba quantum rings [<NUM>,<NUM>] or asymmetric Aharonov-Bohm rings [<NUM>]. Based on interference of the particles' wave functions, these devices let particles pass preferentially in one direction. <CIT> discloses a quantum interferometer.

The invention pertains to an optical interferometer comprising a plate and at least two slits or holes formed in the plate, wherein in each one of the slits or holes a quantum device is inserted such that the quantum devices comprise equal directional orientation, and each one of the quantum devices comprise a non-reciprocal transmission structure designed such that for first waves traversing the transmission structure in a forward direction the phases of the first waves are at least partially conserved, and for second waves traversing the transmission structure in a backward direction, the phases of the second waves are at least partially replaced by random ones, such that the phase conservation is more pronounced in the forward direction than in the backward direction; the optical interferometer further comprising a cavity comprising walls enclosing the interferometer such that at least one plate from a first wall to a second opposing wall thus divides the interior of the cavity into a first halve and a second halve; and a black body radiator being disposed in a first half of the two halves such that it emits black body radiation towards the quantum devices to pass through the quantum devices in a forward direction, wherein the walls in the first half are reflective and the walls in the second half are black and the walls are in thermal equilibrium with an external bath.

The person skilled in the art recognizes additional features and advantages upon reading the following detailed description and upon giving consideration to the accompanying drawings.

The accompanying drawings are included to provide a further understanding of examples and are incorporated in and constitute a part of this specification. The drawings illustrate examples and together with the description serve to explain principles of examples. Other examples and many of the intended advantages of examples will be readily appreciated as they become better understood by reference to the following detailed description. Only <FIG> corresponds to an embodiment of the application. The rest of the figures correspond to examples not forming part of the claimed invention which is solely defined by the appended claims.

In the following description the terms "coupled" and "connected", along with derivatives may be used. It should be understood that these terms may be used to indicate that two elements co-operate or interact with each other, regardless whether they are in direct physical or electrical contact, or they are not in direct or physical or electrical contact with each other which means that there can be one or more intermediate elements between the two elements.

In the following the terms "absorber", "emitter" or "absorber/emitter" may be used. It should be understood that these terms are to be understood as any kinds of elements which may absorb or emit any kind of waves, particles and quasi-particles and any kind of radiation. The terms particularly refer to black body radiators (see next paragraph), but also to e.g. resistors which may absorb or emit electrons.

In the following the term "black body" and "black body radiators" along with derivatives may be used. It should be understood that the term is used to refer to bodies in a broad sense, to include also solids, liquids, gases, or plasmas that may emit or absorb thermal radiation. The body may not be <NUM>% black (such bodies do not exist at all), and may not be designed as a textbook-like black body radiator consisting of a hollow body with a small opening.

The term "wave" is used to describe any wave associated with a quantum object, be it for example the wave of a photon or a de-Broglie wave of a particle or quasi-particle. The considered waves are created/modified in elementary interaction processes which must be described quantum mechanically and may undergo quantum mechanical collapse under conditions such as detailed in [<NUM>]. Besides that the term "wave" also includes wave packets, for examples wave packets with Gaussian envelope functions.

The term "collapse" is used to describe any process causing an at least partially phase-breaking decoherence of quantum-mechanical states.

The non-reciprocal devices described in the present disclosure break the symmetry of the phase conservation of objects depending on the direction with which these pass through the devices. The objects may be particles such as electrons or waves such as photons. Conserving the average energy and momentum of the object, these devices may act in forward direction like transparent or even open windows, but in reverse direction resemble black-body radiators, or more general absorbers/emitters, with incoherent output.

When describing and claiming a quantum device in the following, it should be noted that the term "quantum device" is to be understood in a broad and extensive manner. Concerning the function of the devices revealed here, such a device basically acts as a non-reciprocal filter for matter or electromagnetic waves, for example for photons, particle waves, quasiparticle waves of any kind. Concerning its structure it can be understood as an artificial or man-made structure in which, for example, electrical wires or lines are fabricated by different technological methods, including integrated circuit technology. It can, however, also be understood as consisting of or comprising chemical components like, for example, molecules, molecule compounds, molecule rings like benzene rings with side groups, and so on. It furthermore can refer to solid compounds, e.g. with crystalline structures that exert the device function, or to structures fabricated in or from such crystalline structures.

In general there are no required external forces driving the particles into the devices besides a heat bath having a temperature T > <NUM>. Therefore in the examples of quantum devices shown and described in the following, the devices function due to the fact that the particles like photons or electrons are only excited or are only moving due to their thermal excitation.

Furthermore the term "transmission path" can be, but does not have to be understood as a material body. In some devices a material body, e.g. a piece of wire or a waveguide, may comprise one transmission path. In some other devices such a material body may comprise two transmission paths, namely two opposing directions of particles propagating through the material body. In some other devices the term is not to be understood as a tangible or material body which is fabricated from a specific material. It is rather to be understood as a virtual path of a particle or wave in space, and may even be placed, e.g. in a gaseous atmosphere.

It is noted that as used in the following, one opening, such as one slit, may comprise multiple transmission paths. This becomes understood by regarding optical diffraction of one slit. Here the phase differences associated with the multitude of transmission paths passing through the slit at different positions or angles causes the characteristic single-slit diffraction pattern.

It is further noted that the terms "slit" and "double-slit" may refer to a multitude of geometries and systems. The openings of the slits may, for example, not be completely open and transparent. Also more than one or two slits may be used, which also may be configured, for example, as arrangements commonly described as zone-plates, metamaterials, or optical crystals.

Likewise, the term "atom" may refer to single atoms or molecules, but also to a multitude of atoms, molecules or particles with a characteristic behavior characterized by the behavior of single atoms, without or with the presence of superradiance. The term also comprises defects in solids, for example color centers, that can absorb and emit waves in a manner as atoms do.

Also, the term "random" is used here to not only describe processes of completely random nature. The term is also used to describe, for example, distributions of phases that are so irregular that interference events between waves with such phases are significantly oppressed.

Furthermore, the term "phase coherent" does not necessarily imply that there is no inelastic, phase-breaking scattering taking place in the device. Indeed, as shown in [<NUM>], some inelastic scattering, for example with phonons, is compatible with phase coherence of the part of the wave not affected by the scattering and may be beneficial or in some cases even be required for device operation. The term "phase coherent" should therefore be understood as including either the absence of inelastic, phase-breaking scattering of the transmission of particles in the device, or to also include the presence of such events, provided that a part of the wave with a phase unaffected by phase-breaking scattering events remains.

Furthermore any features, remarks, or comments, mentioned in connection with one or more quantum device or a use of one or more quantum devices are to be understood as also disclosing a respective method feature or method step for making the quantum device(s) function or for implementing the quantum device(s) in any kind of greater device or system and driving the quantum device(s) so that such greater device or system will fulfil its desired function.

<FIG> comprises <FIG> and shows in <FIG> a schematic block representation of a quantum device according to a first embodiment. The quantum device <NUM> of <FIG> comprises a non-reciprocal transmission structure which may be connected between a first port <NUM> and a second port <NUM>. The transmission structure is designed such that for first waves traversing the transmission structure in a forward direction from the first port <NUM> to the second port <NUM> the phases of the first waves are conserved, and for second waves traversing the transmission structure in a backward direction from the second port <NUM> to the first port <NUM>, the phases of the second waves are replaced by random ones which are generated by the black bodies <NUM> having the temperature T.

According to the example as shown in <FIG>, the transmission structure comprises a first hybrid coupler <NUM>, a second hybrid coupler <NUM>, and a phase shifter <NUM>, wherein the two hybrid couplers <NUM> and <NUM> are interconnected and the phase shifter <NUM> is connected in-between the two hybrid couplers <NUM> and <NUM>. According to the example as shown in <FIG>, the quantum device <NUM> comprises a four-port circulator comprising the first and second ports <NUM> and <NUM>, a third port <NUM>, and a fourth port <NUM>. At each one of the third and fourth ports <NUM> and <NUM> an absorber/emitter <NUM> and <NUM> can be disposed. Such an absorber/emitter can be comprised of a black body radiator in case of an optical device using electromagnetic waves in, for example, the visible or infrared spectrum, or it can be comprised of a resistor in case of a microwave device using electromagnetic waves in, for example, the microwave region.

The principle function of the hybrid couplers <NUM> and <NUM> is, for example, described on page <NUM> ff. in [<NUM>]. When a signal enters a hybrid coupler on one of the upper or lower transmission paths, it will receive a phase shift of n/<NUM> when it changes to the respective other transmission path. It will receive no phase shift when it stays horizontally on its transmission path. A signal passing through the phase shifter <NUM> in the direction of the arrow will experience a phase shift of π and it will experience no phase shift if it passes through the phase shifter <NUM> in the opposite direction.

Accordingly, the signal paths through the transmission structure will be described in the following <FIG>.

<FIG> shows the quantum device <NUM> of <FIG> in which two transmission paths are marked, which lead from the first port <NUM> to the second port <NUM>. The first one of these transmission paths marked with the letter A experiences a total phase shift of n/<NUM> as there is no phase shift when horizontally passing through the first hybrid coupler <NUM> and the phase shifter <NUM>, but a phase shift of π/<NUM> when passing through the second hybrid coupler <NUM>. The second one of these transmission paths is marked with the letter B and experiences also a total phase shift of π/<NUM>. This phase shift results from the passing through the first hybrid coupler <NUM> imposing a phase shift of π/<NUM> onto the signal, wherein there is no phase shift when passing through the second hybrid coupler <NUM>. As a result, since both transmission paths A and B experience a phase shift of π/<NUM>, the respective waves interfere constructively when joining each other in the second hybrid coupler <NUM> and then leave the second hybrid coupler <NUM> at port <NUM>.

<FIG> shows the quantum device <NUM> of <FIG> in which two transmission paths are marked which lead from the second port <NUM> to the first port <NUM>. The first one of these transmission paths marked with the letter C experiences a total phase shift of <NUM> × π/<NUM>, as there is a first phase shift of π/<NUM> when passing through the second hybrid coupler <NUM> and a second phase shift of π when passing through the phase shifter <NUM> and no phase shift when horizontally passing through the first hybrid coupler <NUM>. The second one of these transmission paths marked with the letter D experiences a total phase shift of n/<NUM>, as there is no phase shift when horizontally passing through the second hybrid coupler <NUM> and a phase shift of π/<NUM> when passing through the first hybrid coupler <NUM>.

As the first transmission path C experiences a phase shift of <NUM> × π/<NUM> and the second transmission path D experiences a phase shift of n/<NUM>, the two transmission paths C and D will have a phase difference of π when joining each other in the first hybrid coupler <NUM>, which means that they interfere destructively so that a zero signal will leave the device <NUM> at the first port <NUM>.

<FIG> shows the quantum device <NUM> of <FIG> in which two transmission paths are marked which lead from the second port <NUM> to the third port <NUM>. The first one of these transmission paths marked with the letter E experiences a total phase shift of 2π, as there is a first phase shift of π/<NUM> when passing through the second hybrid coupler <NUM>, a second phase shift of π when passing through the phase shifter <NUM>, and a third phase shift of π/<NUM> when passing through the first hybrid coupler <NUM>. The second one of these transmission paths is marked with the letter F. This path experiences a total phase shift of <NUM> as there is no phase shift when horizontally passing through the second hybrid coupler <NUM> and as well no phase shift when passing through the first hybrid coupler <NUM>.

As the transmission path E experiences a phase shift of 2π and the transmission path F experiences a phase shift of <NUM>, the two transmission paths E and F will have a phase difference of 2π when joining each other in the first hybrid coupler <NUM> which means that they interfere constructively and then leave the device <NUM> at the third port <NUM>.

It should be added that the same situation, as illustrated in <FIG>, occurs for a wave entering the quantum device <NUM> at the third port <NUM> and propagates to the fourth port <NUM>, which means that respective partial waves travelling on two transmission paths between the third port <NUM> and the fourth port <NUM> will interfere constructively when joining each other in the second hybrid coupler <NUM> and then leave the device <NUM> at the fourth port <NUM>.

A wave fed into the quantum device <NUM> at the first port <NUM> is thus transmitted without distortion to the second port <NUM> and a wave fed into the quantum device <NUM> at the second port <NUM> will be absorbed by the black-body radiator <NUM> disposed at the third port <NUM>. The absorption induces a quantum-mechanical collapse of the wave function [<NUM>]. This collapse causes a loss of information of the wave's phase, because the dissipative coupling of the absorbed wave to the macroscopic bath induces decoherence and thereby parallels the quantum mechanical measurement process [<NUM>]. On a statistical average, the black-body radiators <NUM> and <NUM> generate a second wave that then passes the quantum device <NUM> and leaves it at the first port <NUM>, consistent with the second law of thermodynamics. The phase of a wave travelling from the first port <NUM> to the second port <NUM> is therefore conserved within its unitary evolution, but the phase of a wave leaving the quantum device <NUM> at the first port <NUM> is less or not correlated with the phase of a wave entering at the second port <NUM>. Moreover, the energy balance of the transfer process is characterized by non-reciprocal behavior. The energy of a wave moving on the transmission path from the first port <NUM> to the second port <NUM> is strictly conserved, the energy of waves on the reversed transmission path from the second port <NUM> to the first port <NUM> is conserved only on a statistical average.

It should be mentioned at this point that the quantum device can have another structure as that shown in <FIG>. In particular the hybrid couplers <NUM> und <NUM> can be either of different nature or may not even exist as will be shown later. Also the ports <NUM> and <NUM> do not have to be provided physically.

In general it should be mentioned that the quantum device can be configured such that it functions according to completely different principles as compared to the quantum device of <FIG>. The quantum device of <FIG> is constructed as a static device and as such comprises an intrinsically asymmetric behaviour. It is, however, also possible to construct a quantum device which comprises movable elements so that the asymmetric behaviour is achieved by a specifically controlled movement of these elements. It is furthermore possible to provide a quantum device which does not comprise an intrinsic asymmetry but shows asymmetric behaviour due to the fact that it is embedded in a specific setup or structure. Examples of the above will be shown and explained further below.

One further example of a quantum device according to the first aspect will be shown and explained in the following <FIG>. And as will be shown further below, a simple form of a quantum device according to the first aspect may contain a transmission structure which essentially comprises an inelastic scattering center for photons or electrons. It could also be realized by low-loss optical switches in case of photons or a low-loss electronic switches in case of electrons.

<FIG> comprises <FIG> and shows a second embodiment of a quantum device according to the first aspect. The quantum device <NUM> of <FIG> comprises a first body <NUM>, a second body <NUM>, a first black body <NUM>, and a second black body <NUM>.

<FIG> illustrates the passage of a wave from the first body <NUM> to the second body <NUM> at four different time steps <NUM>-<NUM>. <FIG> displays the transit of a wave from the second body <NUM> to the first body <NUM>. The first and second bodies <NUM> and <NUM> can also be ports like the ports <NUM> and <NUM> of the embodiment of <FIG>. The phases of the waves are denoted by ϕn with n = <NUM>, <NUM>, <NUM>. The first and second black bodies <NUM> and <NUM> can be moved in and out of the path of the wave. They may for example be formed by appropriately shaped rotating disks.

As <FIG> illustrates, by appropriately moving the black bodies <NUM> and <NUM> in the right time sequence, a wave may pass unhindered from the first body <NUM> to the second body <NUM> as indicated by its constant phase ϕ<NUM> remaining unchanged. A wave traveling in backward direction, from the second body <NUM> to the first body <NUM>, however, will be absorbed and statistically reemitted by at least one of the first and second black bodies <NUM> and <NUM>. Due to the resulting wave function collapse, the information of the initial phase of the wave is lost. In the example shown in <FIG>, the wave having phase ϕn is absorbed by the second black body <NUM> which reemits a wave with a random phase ϕ<NUM>. This wave is then absorbed by the first black body <NUM> which reemits a wave with a random phase ϕ<NUM>. It is pointed out that this embodiment may act on the complete frequency spectrum of a black-body radiator simultaneously.

A third embodiment of a quantum device according to the first aspect comprises a transmission structure comprising a body that with a probability p causes inelastic scattering and therefore phase information loss of a light wave wherein this embodiment will be described in more detail in connection with the embodiments of <FIG>, <FIG>, <FIG>, and <FIG>.

According to a second aspect of the present disclosure a method for operating a quantum device according to the first aspect comprises supplying the first waves to the quantum device, wherein the first waves comprise quanta with energies obtained from a thermal source or with energies E of order kT, such that kT/<NUM> < E < 10kT, wherein T is the temperature of the environment.

A method for operating a quantum device according to the first aspect could alternatively or in addition be defined as comprising providing a source of the first waves, wherein the source of the first waves is held in thermal equilibrium with an environment. The environment can be a natural environment like a room being under room temperature, or a place in free nature. It can also be an artificial environment such as the cavity containing the device, or such as a thermal bath provided for example by a water bath or a hot oven.

A method for operating a quantum device according to the first aspect could alternatively or in addition be defined as comprising providing a source of the first waves, wherein the source of the first waves is not actively stimulated, in particular not actively stimulated by non-thermal energy so that it would be possible that the source is actively heated or cooled.

In the following, possible applications of the quantum device according to the first aspect will be shown and described with respect to the <FIG>.

<FIG> comprises <FIG> and relates to the possibility to use the asymmetric phase transmission to create asymmetric interference.

<FIG> is intended only for illustrative purposes and shows an interferometer <NUM> which comprises an interferometer plate <NUM> and two slits <NUM> and <NUM> formed in a side-by-side relationship in the plate <NUM>. The two slits <NUM> and <NUM> are filled with black-body radiators <NUM> and <NUM>, respectively. It is further illustrated in the figure what happens when coherent radiation impinges onto the interferometer <NUM> from either one of the two sides of the plate <NUM>. The two black-body radiators <NUM> and <NUM> will destroy the phases of the incident coherent waves and randomly emit another wave to the other side, the randomly emitted wave carrying a random new phase. As a result, the black-body radiators <NUM> and <NUM> will emit incoherent radiation to either sides of the plate <NUM> as it is indicated by the bubble-like radiation cones which typically follows an angular dependence as described by Lambert's radiation law.

<FIG>, on the other hand, shows an example of a possible use of the quantum devices according to the first aspect. An interferometer <NUM> comprises an interferometer plate <NUM> and two slits <NUM> and <NUM> formed in a side-by-side relationship into the interferometer plate <NUM>. Quantum devices <NUM> and <NUM> are inserted into the slits <NUM> and <NUM>, respectively. It is assumed that the two quantum devices <NUM> and <NUM> both comprise an identical directional orientation and, moreover, a directional orientation such as that of the quantum device <NUM> as shown in <FIG>.

<FIG> comprises <FIG> and shows a conventional commercially available optical <NUM>-ports-circulator in order to illustrate the way in which the quantum devices could be inserted into the slits <NUM> and <NUM>.

As can be seen in <FIG>, the optical circulator comprises the form of a fiber optical device comprising first and third ports <NUM> and <NUM> at the left lower end and a second port <NUM> at the right upper end. The sketch in <FIG> shows the possible paths of light waves in and out of the device. The designation of the ports corresponds to that of the embodiment of <FIG>, i.e. light incident on the device from the left side has to be coupled into the device at port <NUM> and then leaves the device coherently at port <NUM>, whereas light incident on the device from the right side is coupled into the device at port <NUM> and is then internally guided to port <NUM>. There will be no external fiber connected to port <NUM>. Instead at port <NUM> a black body radiator is provided at the left-side output of the device. Furthermore there is no need for a port <NUM> as was provided in the embodiment of <FIG>. Two such circulators are provided and each one is inserted in one of the two slits of the interferometer. The fiber ends at port <NUM> are favorably have to be oriented in parallel so that they may properly work as a double-slit.

The quantum devices <NUM> and <NUM> could be realized according to one of the embodiments as shown in <FIG> or <FIG>. As was indicated above, the quantum devices <NUM> and <NUM> could also be realized by inelastic scatterers like, e.g. a gas or a lightly opaque solid body or a cluster of scatterers.

It is further shown in <FIG> what happens when coherent radiation impinges onto the interferometer <NUM> from either sides of the interferometer plate <NUM>. When the coherent radiation impinges from the right side onto the interferometer plate <NUM>, i.e. the coherent waves pass through the quantum devices <NUM> and <NUM> in backward direction and thus realize them as pure black-body radiators. Consequently the coherent waves are absorbed in the black body radiators of the quantum devices <NUM> and <NUM> and incoherent radiation with random phases is emitted from either one of the quantum devices <NUM> and <NUM> and emanates from the two slits <NUM> and <NUM> to the left side of the interferometer plate <NUM> as indicated by the bubble-like radiation cones. On the other hand, if coherent radiation impinges onto the interferometer plate <NUM> from the left side, the coherent waves pass through the quantum devices <NUM> and <NUM> in forward direction so that the phases of the coherent waves are conserved. Consequently, the coherent waves emitted to the right side interfere constructively and lead to a typical double-slit diffraction pattern as shown in the Figure.

<FIG> comprises <FIG> and shows an extension of the interferometer <NUM> of <FIG> which may lead to a useful device.

Basically the interferometer <NUM> is placed in a cavity <NUM> comprising walls 33A. The interferometer <NUM> is inserted in the cavity <NUM> in such a way that the interferometer plate <NUM> extends from one cavity wall to an opposing cavity wall and thus divides the interior of the cavity <NUM> into two half spaces which are separated from each other by the interferometer plate <NUM>. The walls 33A of the left half of the cavity <NUM> are provided by mirrors, whereas the walls 33A of the right half are black. The walls 33A are in thermal equilibrium with an external bath. The radiation coming from the left is generated by a particle <NUM> like e.g. a grain of carbon or a cluster of atoms that acts as a black-body radiator. In the case where wave fronts of the black-body radiation on the left side of the cavity <NUM> impinge the double-slits <NUM> and <NUM> with some degree of phase correlation, a double-slit diffraction pattern is created in the right half of the cavity <NUM> (see <FIG>). It should be noted that the phase coherence length of thermal radiation in a cavity is not defined in any manner by Planck's spectral radiation density [<NUM>]. The radiation coming from the right is essentially comprised of black-body radiation coming from the walls 33A of the right half and it passes through the quantum devices <NUM> and <NUM> in backward direction leading to incoherent radiation as indicated by the bubble-like cones in the left half (see <FIG>). Thus, the spatial densities of the radiation in the two halves of the cavity <NUM> differ. The interference characteristic in the right half is inhomogeneous, potentially causing temperature differences of test bodies <NUM> placed at different locations in the cavity <NUM>, one test body <NUM> placed at an interference maximum and the other test body <NUM> placed at an interference minimum of the diffraction pattern. This temperature difference sensed by the test bodies <NUM> may be converted, e.g. by using a thermo-couple device, into useful electric power. It is obvious that the output power can be optimized by varying, for example, the temperature or geometry of the black bodies or of the thermal bath to which the atom may be anchored, or by altering the number of atoms absorbing and reemitting the radiation.

It is noted that this behavior does not agree with the zeroth and the second law of thermodynamics, according to the manner these laws are today commonly understood and presented in the textbooks [<NUM>]. By some experts like e.g. the famous physicist Enrico Fermi such a disagreement was anticipated [<NPL>]. In [<NUM>] a hypothetical system is discussed which has been claimed to show some disagreement between quantum physics and the second law of thermodynamics. As noted by these authors, however, the disagreement is confined to quantum-mechanically entangled states present only at very low temperatures as these states are destroyed by decoherence processes. Furthermore, the entanglement has to be of multi-particle type. These requirements render the proposed system unrealistic for a practical implementation. In contrast, our proposal does not rely on entanglement but on single-particle coherence. Directional decoherence (directional phase-breaking) is even necessary to produce the described effects violating the second law which may occur at arbitrary temperatures.

Indeed, for many decades it has been dreamed about which advantages a then still hypothetical device would entail that would violate the second law of thermodynamics [<NUM>].

Nevertheless, as known to the expert and to the layman, see e.g. [<NUM>] or [<NUM>], a practical device that breaks the second law of thermodynamics, commonly known as a perpetuum mobile of the second kind, has only been speculated about. Current discussions are focused on devices that use quantum effects occurring at temperatures close to absolute zero, in particular quantum entanglement, as summarized in [<NUM>]. Due to a lack of ideas about how a practical device could work, these studies have never made the transition from speculations to functioning devices. Indeed, most members of the scientific community are convinced that such a device may, by principle, never be built.

<FIG> shows a further example of a possible application of quantum devices according to the first aspect.

<FIG> shows a further embodiment of an optical interferometer. The interferometer <NUM> of <FIG> comprises an optical fiber <NUM> incorporated into a cavity <NUM>, the walls 43A of which are in thermal equilibrium with an external bath. In the middle of the length of the optical fiber <NUM> a particle like e.g. an atom <NUM> is embedded, which upon excitation may emit single photons such that each photon coherently propagates in both directions of the fiber. The atom <NUM> is anchored to a thermal bath. First and second quantum devices <NUM> and <NUM>, provided according to the first aspect, are incorporated in the optical fiber <NUM> in such a way that in both radiation directions of radiation emitted by the atom <NUM> one quantum device <NUM> or <NUM> is arranged wherein the forward directions are directed downwards and the backward directions are directed upwards. The two quantum devices <NUM>, <NUM> can be identical. Below the optical fiber <NUM> a screen <NUM> is provided which receives the radiation output by the first and second output ends <NUM> and <NUM> of the optical fiber <NUM>.

As indicated by the white and black arrows, there is radiation emitted by the atom <NUM>, passing through the quantum devices <NUM>, <NUM> and leaving the optical fiber <NUM> at its two ends <NUM> and <NUM> (white arrows), and radiation emanating from the screen <NUM> is coupled into the optical fiber <NUM>, impinging there onto the quantum devices <NUM>, <NUM>, which then emit black body radiation impinging onto the atom <NUM> (black arrows).

In an ideal case the two waves being emitted by the atom <NUM> in both directions, pass undisturbed through the two quantum devices <NUM>, <NUM> so that they are still coherent with each other with zero phase difference. In the case where the two wave fronts leave the two ends <NUM> and <NUM> of the optical fiber <NUM> with still at least some degree of phase correlation, a double-slit diffraction pattern is created on the screen <NUM>. In the opposite direction, the screen <NUM> and the diffraction pattern generate coherent light waves being coupled into the optical fiber <NUM> by means of the two fiber ends <NUM> and <NUM>. More specifically, the interference maxima of the diffraction pattern on the screen <NUM> generate coherent partial waves of zero phase difference in the optical fiber <NUM>, and the interference minima of the diffraction pattern on the screen <NUM> generate coherent partial waves of a phase difference of π in the optical fiber <NUM>. The two coherent partial waves impinge onto the quantum devices <NUM>, <NUM> and their wave functions collapse therein. As a consequence waves with random phases are generated by the quantum devices <NUM>, <NUM> which impinge onto and are absorbed by the atom <NUM>. The atom <NUM> then starts again by generating coherent partial waves being emanated to the right and to the left and having a relative phase difference of zero.

Because absorbing test bodies (not shown) positioned inside and outside the diffraction peaks, respectively, receive different amounts of incoming radiation, the temperatures of these test bodies that are each in internal thermal equilibrium and that are initially in thermal equilibrium with the walls of the cavity will therefore start to differ. Again this temperature difference may be converted, e.g., by using a thermo-couple device, into useful electric power. The device may obviously also be used to heat or to cool bodies, using as energy source the thermal energy of the heat bath.

The quantum devices <NUM> and <NUM> could be realized according to one of the embodiments as shown in <FIG> or <FIG>. As was indicated above, the quantum devices <NUM> and <NUM> could also be realized by inelastic scatterers.

<FIG> shows another form of an interferometer. The interferometer <NUM> of <FIG> comprises a mirrored cavity <NUM> with open ends housing a coherently radiating particle like e.g. an atom <NUM>, first and second highly reflecting mirrors <NUM> and <NUM>, two quantum devices <NUM> and <NUM>, a semitransparent mirror <NUM> and first and second black body radiators <NUM> and <NUM>. The atom <NUM> is anchored to a thermal bath. The two quantum devices <NUM> and <NUM> are configured as quantum devices according to the first aspect and can be identical. The arrows indicate their respective forward directions in which phase coherence is maintained.

The mirrored cavity <NUM> comprises two opposing openings for two light beams respectively passing out of the mirrored cavity <NUM> in two opposing directions. The first and second highly reflecting mirrors <NUM> and <NUM> deflect the two light beams onto two light paths, respectively, which two light paths join each other at the semitransparent mirror <NUM>, i.e. an asymmetric beamsplitter, after having passed ideally undisturbed through the quantum devices <NUM> and <NUM>. By orienting the metal coating of the semitransparent mirror <NUM> to the left side, the setup is configured such that light beams that come from the two quantum devices <NUM> and <NUM> without any phase difference are deflected only to the first black body radiator <NUM>.

In the opposite direction the black body radiators <NUM> and <NUM> generate incoherent black body radiation which impinges onto the semitransparent mirror <NUM>. The semitransparent mirror <NUM> splits up the waves received from the black body radiators <NUM> and <NUM> into respective partial waves. These partial waves are pair-wise coherent with each other whereby the partial waves generated out of a wave emitted by black body radiator <NUM> comprise a phase difference of <NUM>, and the partial waves generated out of a wave emitted by black body radiator <NUM> comprise a phase difference of π. The quantum devices <NUM> and <NUM> destroy the phase coherence of the partial waves and in particular erase the phase difference of π between the partial waves resulting from the emission of black body radiator <NUM>. The quantum devices <NUM> and <NUM> effect a collapse of the wave function which means that due to quantum mechanics the arriving wave either passes through the quantum device <NUM> or through the quantum device <NUM>. As a result, the wave impinges onto the atom <NUM> either from the right side or from the left side. If the wave is not getting absorbed by the atom <NUM>, it impinges onto the beamsplitter <NUM> which deflects it to both black body radiators <NUM> and <NUM> in equal proportions on a statistical average.

The first and second black body radiators <NUM> and <NUM> initially are at equal temperatures and emit equal amounts of radiative power, but receive radiation of different powers. As a result, a temperature difference is generated between the first and second black body radiators <NUM> and <NUM> which can be used, for example, to generate electric power.

It should further be mentioned that the above-described quantum devices and their applications require some coupling to heat baths which are at a T > <NUM>. In a simple case, the heat baths may be given by the black bodies <NUM> and <NUM> and the black bodies in the quantum devices <NUM> and <NUM>. The medium of such a heat bath can be solid, liquid or gaseous. The devices may extract energy from one or of several of the heat baths and transfer the heat energy, e.g. to one or several other heat baths.

It is also apparent that the above described devices can be implemented to operate in parallel to enhance their output. Likewise devices may be operated in series. For example, to the black body A1 of a first device that is cooled by this device, a second device may be thermally connected, such that the black body A2 of the second device becomes cooled to even lower temperatures than the body A1.

The quantum devices <NUM> and <NUM> could be realized according to one of the embodiments as shown in <FIG>, <FIG>, or <FIG>. As was indicated above, the quantum devices <NUM> and <NUM> could also be realized by inelastic scatterers that scatter each with a probability p. If set up in the manner described, device operation is achieved, as the phase information of the coherent waves moving from the body <NUM> to the atom <NUM> and back to the body <NUM> - these waves heat body <NUM> and are therefore detrimental for device operation - is reduced by a factor of (<NUM> - p) × (<NUM> - p), while the coherent wave generated by the atom <NUM> and moving to the body <NUM> is reduced by factor of p only. Also this embodiment may simultaneously act on the complete frequency spectrum of a black-body radiator.

<FIG> shows an example of the use of quantum devices in an electron interferometer. An electron interferometer <NUM> of <FIG> comprises an electron source <NUM>, a first quantum device <NUM> and a second quantum device <NUM>, a first resistor <NUM> and a second resistor <NUM>, both first and second resistors <NUM> and <NUM> connected to ground. The interferometer <NUM> further comprises a first transmission path <NUM> connecting the electron source <NUM> with a first port of the first quantum device <NUM>, a second transmission path <NUM> connecting the electron source <NUM> with a first port of the second quantum device <NUM>, a third transmission path <NUM> connecting a second port of the first quantum device <NUM> with the first resistor <NUM>, a forth transmission path <NUM> connecting a second port of the second quantum device <NUM> with the first resistor <NUM>, a fifth transmission path <NUM> connecting the second port of the second quantum device <NUM> with the second resistor <NUM>, and a sixth transmission path <NUM> connecting the second port of the first quantum device <NUM> with the second resistor <NUM>.

The first and second resistors <NUM> and <NUM> function as electron absorbers and emitters. For effectively absorbing electrons they may have a resistance of <NUM> Ohm. The generating of electrons happens, for example, via the thermal noise, i.e. Johnson/Nyquist noise which is due to the thermal agitation of the charge carriers inside an electrical conductor at equilibrium.

The interferometer <NUM> is configured in such a way that electron waves experience a phase shift α on the third, forth, and fifth transmission paths <NUM>, <NUM>, and <NUM>, and electron waves experience a phase shift of α + π on the sixth transmission path <NUM>.

The above phase shifts can be achieved by designing the transmission paths with the following lengths.

The electron source <NUM> corresponds to the atom <NUM> in the embodiment of <FIG> or to the atom <NUM> in the embodiment of <FIG>. It can, for example, as well be an atom which can absorb an electron and emit an electron. It can also be a crystal defect which can as well absorb or emit electrons. In case of the emission of an electron, two partial electron waves are emitted which propagate on the first and second transmission paths <NUM> and <NUM>.

The quantum devices <NUM> and <NUM> can be identical and maybe configured as inelastic scattering centers as, for example, crystal defects or phonons coupled into a crystal. They could also be configured, for example, as low-loss electronic switches like, e.g. FETs.

The transmission paths <NUM> to <NUM> correspond to the beamsplitter <NUM> in the embodiment of <FIG>.

<FIG> shows an implementation of the use of quantum devices according to the present disclosure in a photonic system. The photonic system <NUM> comprises an ensemble of two-level systems TLS <NUM>, two black-body radiators <NUM> and <NUM>, and a chiral waveguide <NUM>. The two level systems <NUM> are coupled to the chiral waveguide <NUM> with two different coupling strengths g1 and g2 that depend on the propagation direction of the waves. Comparable couplings are described, for example, in [<NUM>]. In such a system, the two level systems TLS <NUM> induced phase-breaking of the photon modes in the waveguide <NUM> that depends on the direction of travel of the photons. This nonreciprocal phase-breaking ultimately induces a non-identical population of the photons in the two black-body cavities <NUM> and <NUM>. As a result a temperature difference will develop between the black-body cavities <NUM> and <NUM>. Again this temperature difference may be converted, e.g., by using a thermo-couple device, into useful electric power.

It is noted that the quantum devices as described in the present disclosure pass information preferably in the forward direction, and hinder the flow of information in the backward direction. This valuable functional behavior has obvious applications in data transmission and storage based on conventional or quantum systems. It offers for example the possibility that a user of a quantum system writes data into a quantum memory but is not able to retrieve data stored in this memory, or vice versa.

It is a further valuable aspect of the invention that easy control can be established over the processes driven by the quantum collapse. The processes can be controlled, for example, by blocking a part of the transmission paths or by moving or turning one or more of the optical components. The systems may therefore be equipped with an input terminal for process control.

The present disclosure also relates to the following further aspects. These aspects refer to devices in which a quantum device according to the first aspect can be implemented so that the respective device fulfills a particular function as will be outlined in the following.

The present disclosure also relates to a device utilizing coherent emission and at least partial collapses of wave functions to achieve a deviation from one or more of the zeroth law, the second, or the third law of thermodynamics.

The present disclosure also relates to a device utilizing quantum-mechanical superposition of states and at least partial collapses of wave functions to achieve a deviation from the zeroth, the second, or the third law of thermodynamics.

The device according to any one of the above further aspects may operate at a temperature in the range of <NUM>-<NUM> K - <NUM>.

The device according to any one of the above further aspects may not be coupled to or entangled with a bath in the quantum regime.

The present disclosure also relates to a device utilizing coherent emission and at least partial quantum-physical collapses of wave functions or quantum-mechanical superposition of states and at least partial collapses of wave functions to generate or to enhance inhomogeneities in the density of the energy distribution of waves or particles in a system. The energy distribution may be an energy distribution generated at least partially by thermal energy.

The present disclosure also relates to a device utilizing coherent emission and at least partial quantum-physical collapses of wave functions or quantum-mechanical superposition of states and at least partial collapses of wave functions to shift a system out of the state of thermal equilibrium.

The present disclosure also relates to a device utilizing coherent emission and at least partial quantum-physical collapses of wave functions or quantum-mechanical superposition of states and at least partial collapses of wave functions to generate temperature differences within one body or between several bodies.

In a device according to any one of the above further aspects phase shifts maybe induced by at least one non-reciprocal component of the device.

In a device according to any one of the above further aspects the at least partial quantum physical collapse of the wave function is achieved by the use of a macroscopic body, which may for example be a solid, a liquid, a gas, or a plasma.

In a device according to any one of the above further aspects the at least partial quantum physical collapse and an at least partial absorption of the wave function at a body is followed by a statistical reemission of a wave by said body.

In a device according to any one of the above further aspects an at least partially quantum physical collapsed wave is statistically replaced by another wave with a random phase.

In a device according to any one of the above further aspects the device creates useful work by converting a generated radiation density inhomogeneity or a generated temperature difference into electricity, radiation, optical energy, or other forms of energy, or by using the achieved order in some other manner.

In a device according to any one of the above further aspects the device transports mass, particles, energy, heat, momentum, angular momentum, charge, or magnetic moments within one body or between several bodies.

In a device according to any one of the above further aspects the device charges a storage system for energy, waves or matter, for example a capacitor or a battery.

In a device according to any one of the above further aspects the device heats or cools bodies.

In a device according to any one of the above further aspects one or several of the bodies of the device are operated at another base temperature than room temperature, for example by using an additionally provided heating or cooling function.

In a device according to any one of the above further aspects an internally or externally created signal is used to control the process.

The key elements contributing to the apparent violation of the second law are the generation of particle states split into multiple wave packets, the quantum mechanical collapse of the multiple wave-packet states, and the sorting of single and multiple wave-packet states by interference, where the latter step transfers the coherence properties of the wave packets into a useful output signal. These robust, single-particle processes are scalable, they function in a wide temperature range including high-temperatures, are compatible with a standard room-type environment, and can be implemented in a large variety of devices acting on many species of quantum waves, including electromagnetic, particle and quasiparticles waves.

The principle of devices that use coherent superposition of states and the collapse of wave functions enables, as proven by the examples presented, a complete new category of functions and applications of optical and electronic devices and circuits that hitherto have not been available. Future applications may, however, also include ones that differ from these described here, i.e., quantum computation, quantum communication, cryptography, quantum information storage, energy generation, and cooling. This principle will open novel possibilities, for example for analog and digital devices, data processing, storage, and sensing. Quantum effects based on wave function collapse will also open novel possibilities for functional materials, for example in catalysis.

Claim 1:
An optical interferometer (<NUM>) comprising
- a plate (<NUM>) and at least two slits or holes (<NUM>, <NUM>) formed in the plate (<NUM>), wherein in each one of the slits or holes (<NUM>, <NUM>) a quantum device (<NUM>, <NUM>) is inserted such that the quantum devices (<NUM>, <NUM>) comprise equal directional orientation, and each one of the quantum devices (<NUM>, <NUM>) comprising a non-reciprocal transmission structure designed such that for first waves traversing the transmission structure in a forward direction the phases of the first waves are at least partially conserved, and for second waves traversing the transmission structure in a backward direction, the phases of the second waves are at least partially replaced by random ones, such that the phase conservation is more pronounced in the forward direction than in the backward direction;
- a cavity (<NUM>) comprising walls (33A) enclosing the interferometer (<NUM>) such that at least one plate (<NUM>) from a first wall (33A) to a second opposing wall (33A) thus divides the interior of the cavity (<NUM>) into a first halve and a second halve; and
- a black body radiator (<NUM>) being disposed in a first half of the two halves such that it emits black body radiation towards the quantum devices (<NUM>, <NUM>) to pass through the quantum devices in a forward direction, wherein the walls (33A) in the first half are reflective and the walls (33A) in the second half are black and the walls (33A) are in thermal equilibrium with an external bath.