I review some spectacular recent advances in statistical mechanics, including universal features of efficiency of machines at maximum power, Brownian refrigerators, the fluctuation and work theorems, a deeper formulation of the second law, and the splitting of the second law.
C. Van den Broeck, "Thermodynamic Efficiency at Maximum Power", Phys. Rev.
Lett. 95, 190602, 1-3 (2005).
B. Cleuren, C. Van den Broeck, and R. Kawai, "Fluctuation and Dissipation of
Work in a Joule experiment", Phys. Rev. Lett. 96 , 050601, 1-4 (2006).
C. Van den Broeck and R. Kawai, "Brownian Refrigerator", Phys. Rev. Lett. 96
210601, 1-4 (2006).
R. Kawai, J.M.R. Parrondo, and C. Van den Broeck, "Dissipation: The Phase-Space
Perspective", Phys. Rev. Lett. 98 080602, 1-4 (2007).
M. van den Broek anc C. Van den Broeck, "Chiral Brownian Heat Pump", Phys.
Rev. Lett. 100, 130601, 1-4 (2008).
M. Esposito, K. Lindenberg, and C. Van den Broeck, "Universality of Efficiency at
Maximum Power", Phys. Rev. Lett. 102, 130602 (2009).
M. Esposito and C. Van den Broeck, "Three Detailed Fluctuation Theorems", Phys.
Rev. Lett. 104, 090601 (2010).
M. Esposito, R. Kawai, K. Lindenberg, and C. Van den Broeck, Efficiency at
Maximum Power of Low-Dissipation Carnot Engines", Phys. Rev. Lett. 105,
150603 (2010).