Entropy Gradients as Temporal Selectors: A Thermodynamic Framework for Collapse-Driven Quantum Tunneling and Attosecond Delays

This work presents a thermodynamic framework for quantum state reduction by proposing that the gradient of entropy with respect to proper time acts as a fundamental selector for collapse events. Using this model, we reinterpret quantum tunneling and attosecond photoionization delays, showing that entropy-guided collapse dynamics recover the classical tunneling exponent and accurately reproduce experimental attosecond delays in helium ionization. At the heart of this approach lies a novel collapse-time formalism rooted in the interplay between entropy and a defined Temporal Possibility Space, underpinned by an entropy-weighted path integral. Our findings suggest a directional temporal bias in quantum collapse, pointing toward a unified understanding of the quantum measurement problem and the thermodynamic arrow of time.