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arXiv:1602.04322 · Physical Review A

Quantum flywheel

Amikam Levy, Lajos Diósi, Ronnie Kosloff

Published May 27, 2016• 59 citations
arXivHTMLPDF

Abstract

In this work we present the concept of a quantum flywheel coupled to a quantum heat engine. The flywheel stores useful work in its energy levels, while additional power is extracted continuously from the device. Generally, the energy exchange between a quantum engine and a quantized work repository is accompanied by heat, which degrades the charging efficiency. Specifically when the quantum harmonic oscillator acts as a work repository, quantum and thermal fluctuations dominate the dynamics. Quantum monitoring and feedback control are applied to the flywheel in order to reach steady state and regulate its operation. To maximize the charging efficiency one needs a balance between the information gained by measuring the system and the information fed back to the system. The dynamics of the flywheel are described by a stochastic master equation that accounts for the engine, the external driving, the measurement, and the feedback operations.

DOI
10.1103/physreva.93.052119

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In this work we present the concept of a quantum flywheel coupled to a quantum heat engine. The flywheel stores useful work in its energy levels, while additional power is extracted continuously from the device. Generally, the energy exchange between a quantum engine and a quantized work repository is accompanied by heat, which degrades the charging efficiency. Specifically when the quantum harmonic oscillator acts as a work repository, quantum and thermal fluctuations dominate the dynamics. Quantum monitoring and feedback control are applied to the flywheel in order to reach steady state and regulate its operation. To maximize the charging efficiency one needs a balance between the information gained by measuring the system and the information fed back to the system. The dynamics of the flywheel are described by a stochastic master equation that accounts for the engine, the external driving, the measurement, and the feedback operations.
The concept of thermal machines has evolved from the canonical steam engine to the recently proposed nanoscopic quantum systems as working fluids. The latter obey quantum open system dynamics and frequently operate in nonequilibrium conditions. However, the role of this dynamics in the overall performance of quantum heat engines remains an open problem. Here we analyze and optimize the efficiency and power output of two-stage quantum heat engines fueled by nonequilibrium steady states. In a charging first stage, the quantum working fluid consisting of a qutrit or two coupled qubits is connected to two reservoirs at different temperatures, which establish a heat current that stores ergotropy in the system; the second stage comprises a coherent driving force that extracts work from the machine in finite a amount of time; finally, the external drive is switched off and the machine enters a new cycle.
Abstract In the quest for high-performance quantum thermal machines, looking for an optimal thermodynamic efficiency is only part of the issue. Indeed, at the level of quantum devices, fluctuations become extremely relevant and need to be taken into account. In this paper we study the thermodynamic uncertainty relations for a quantum thermal machine with a quantum harmonic oscillator as a working medium, connected to two thermal baths, one of which is dynamically coupled. We show that parameters can be found such that the machine operates both as a quantum engine or refrigerator, with both sizeable efficiency and small fluctuations.
We investigate the thermodynamics of a hybrid quantum device consisting of two qubits collectively interacting with a quantum rotor and coupled dissipatively to two equilibrium reservoirs at different temperatures. By modeling the dynamics and the resulting steady state of the system using a collision model, we identify the functioning of the device as a thermal engine, a refrigerator, or an accelerator. In addition, we also look into the device's capacity to operate as a heat rectifier and optimize both the rectification coefficient and the heat flow simultaneously. Drawing an analogy to heat rectification and since we are interested in the conversion of energy into the rotor's kinetic energy, we introduce the concept of angular momentum rectification, which may be employed to control work extraction through an external load.
An analytical study of a feedback-driven quantum engine based on a two-level system is presented. This engine is similar to a quantum Otto engine but substitutes the quantum isochoric process with a feedback-driven operation based on a measured observable $A(\ensuremath{\theta})$, whose eigenstates are coherent superpositions of energy eigenstates. Projective measurements control the feedback operations, while work extraction or heat absorption occurs during driven operations. We derive the general time-dependent efficiency, power, and power fluctuations. Quantum coherence is examined through three mechanisms: (i) coherence associated with $\ensuremath{\theta}\ensuremath{\ne}0$, (ii) residual coherence after incomplete thermalization, and (iii) coherence generated by the interaction between the system and a coherent laser pulse on resonance. We investigate how the parameter $\ensuremath{\theta}$, quantum coherence, and timing of unitary and feedback-driven strokes influence engine performance. We demonstrate that quantum coherence can significantly enhance power output and efficiency while reducing fluctuations through optimal cycle parameter adjustments.
Quantum heat engines are subjected to quantum fluctuations related to their discrete energy spectra. Such fluctuations question the reliable operation of thermal machines in the quantum regime. Here, we realize an endoreversible quantum Otto cycle in the large quasi-spin states of Cesium impurities immersed in an ultracold Rubidium bath. Endoreversible machines are internally reversible and irreversible losses only occur via thermal contact. We employ quantum control to regulate the direction of heat transfer that occurs via inelastic spin-exchange collisions. We further use full-counting statistics of individual atoms to monitor quantized heat exchange between engine and bath at the level of single quanta, and additionally evaluate average and variance of the power output. We optimize the performance as well as the stability of the quantum heat engine, achieving high efficiency, large power output and small power output fluctuations.
Quantum heat engines are subjected to quantum fluctuations related to their discrete energy spectra. Such fluctuations question the reliable operation of thermal machines in the quantum regime. Here, we realize an endoreversible quantum Otto cycle in the large quasi-spin states of Cesium impurities immersed in an ultracold Rubidium bath. Endoreversible machines are internally reversible and irreversible losses only occur via thermal contact. We employ quantum control to regulate the direction of heat transfer that occurs via inelastic spin-exchange collisions. We further use full-counting statistics of individual atoms to monitor quantized heat exchange between engine and bath at the level of single quanta, and additionally evaluate average and variance of the power output. We optimize the performance as well as the stability of the quantum heat engine, achieving high efficiency, large power output and small power output fluctuations.