We consider the basic, thermodynamic properties of an elementary micro-machine operating at colloidal length scales. In particular, we track and analyze the driven stochastic motion of a carefully designed micro-propeller rotating unevenly in an optical tweezers, in water. In this intermediate regime, the second law of macroscopic thermodynamics is satisfied only as an ensemble average, and individual trajectories can be temporarily associated with decreases in entropy. We show that our light driven micro-propeller satisfies an appropriate fluctuation theorem that constrains the probability with which these apparent violations of the second law occur. Implications for the development of more complex micro-machines are discussed.

我们考虑在胶体长度尺度上运行的基本微型机器的基本，热力学性质。特别是，我们跟踪并分析了精心设计的微型螺旋桨在水中的不规则旋转中所驱动的随机运动。在这种中间状态下，宏观热力学第二定律仅作为整体平均值满足，并且单个轨迹可以暂时与熵的降低相关联。我们证明了我们的光驱动微型螺旋桨满足了适当的波动定理，该定理限制了这些明显违反第二定律的可能性。讨论了开发更复杂的微型机器的意义。