Nonequilibrium Statistical Physics for Microscopic Thermal Systems

Stochastic thermodynamics turns out to be powerful in studying small-sized thermodynamic systems driven out of equilibrium. Stochastic thermodynamics uncovers various fluctuation theorems that deepen our understanding of the second law of thermodynamics and provide insights on symmetry and order hidden behind thermal fluctuations. In this article, we introduce the theoretical achievements in this field during the last decades and the experimental applications. We also briefly introduce the efforts to understand the thermalization of quantum systems.