The thermodynamics of clocks

Understand

All clocks, classical or quantum, are open non equilibrium irreversible systems subject to the constraints of thermodynamics.

• Using examples I show that these constraints necessarily limit the performance of clocks and that good clocks require large energy dissipation.
• For periodic clocks, operating on a limit cycle, this is a consequence of phase diffusion.
• It is also true for non periodic clocks (for example, radio carbon dating) but due to telegraph noise not to phase diffusion.