Electromechanic devices reveal new possibilities for exploring how thermodynamics operates at small scales, where fluctuations are significant and quantum behaviour might arise. I will show how we have determined the thermodynamic cost of timekeeping by measuring the displacement of a silicon nitride drum. We find that there is a linear relation between the entropy produced by the clock and its accuracy [1].
Fully-suspended carbon nanotube devices allow us to combine the quantum states of confined electrons with exquisite control over mechanical degrees of freedom [2]. We were able to explore the impact of electron tunnelling on the nanotube’s mechanical energy, evidenced by the excitation of coherent self-oscillations [3]. I will discuss the potential of these findings to pave the way for experiments on quantum thermodynamics, in particular, for direct measurements of work exchange.