Non-equilibrium thermodynamics of diffusion in fluctuating potentials

Abstract: A positive rate of entropy production at steady state is a distinctive feature of truly non-equilibrium processes. Exact results, while being often limited to simple models, offer a unique opportunity to explore the thermodynamic features of these processes in full details. Here we derive analytical results for the steady-state rate of entropy production in single particle systems driven away from equilibrium by the fluctuations of an external potential of arbitrary shapes. Subsequently, we provide exact results for a diffusive particle in a harmonic trap whose potential stiffness varies in time according to both discrete and continuous Markov processes. In particular, studying the case of a fully intermittent potential allows us to introduce an effective model of stochastic resetting for which it is possible to obtain finite non-negative entropy production. Altogether, this work lays the foundation for a non-equilibrium thermodynamic theory of fluctuating potentials, with immediate applications to stochastic resetting processes, fluctuations in optical traps and fluctuating interactions in living systems.