Breaking information-thermodynamics link

Abstract

The information-thermodynamics link is revisited, going back to the analysis of Szilard's engine. It is argued that instead of equivalence rather complementarity of physical entropy and information theoretical one is a correct concept. Famous Landauer's formula for a minimal cost of information processing is replaced by a new one which takes into account accuracy and stability of information encoding. Two recent experiments illustrating the information-energy conversion are critically discussed.