arXiv:1009.0865 · Journal of Physics A Mathematical and Theoretical

The smallest refrigerators can reach maximal efficiency

Paul Skrzypczyk, Nicolas Brunner, Noah Linden, Sandu Popescu

Published Nov 15, 2011• 114 citations

Abstract

We investigate whether size imposes a fundamental constraint on the efficiency of small thermal machines. We analyse in detail a model of a small self-contained refrigerator consisting of three qubits. We show analytically that this system can reach the Carnot efficiency, thus demonstrating that there exists no complementarity between size and efficiency.

DOI: 10.1088/1751-8113/44/49/492002

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