Challenges
Datasets
Workspaces
Papers
Discussions
Leaderboard
Log inSign up
Challenges
Datasets
Workspaces
Papers
Discussions
Leaderboard
Blog
Job Board
Q3AS

© 2026 Aqora Quantum S.A.S.

TermsPrivacyLegal Notice

arXiv:2107.08620 · Entropy

Fluctuations in Extractable Work and Bounds on the Charging Power of Quantum Batteries

Shang-Yung Wang

Published Nov 1, 2021• 4 citations
arXivHTMLPDF

Abstract

Motivated by a recent disagreement about the claim that fluctuations in the free energy operator bound the charging power of a quantum battery, we present a critical analysis of the original derivation. The analysis shows that the above claim does not hold for both closed- and open-system dynamics. Our results indicate that the free energy operator is not a consistent quantifying operator for the work content of a charging quantum battery.

DOI
10.3390/e23111455

Related papers

Fluctuations in Extractable Work Bound the Charging Power of Quantum Batteries

Luis Pedro García-Pintos, Alioscia Hamma, Adolfo del Campo

We study the connection between the charging power of quantum batteries and the fluctuations of the extractable work. We prove that in order to have a nonzero rate of change of the extractable work, the state ${\ensuremath{\rho}}_{\mathcal{W}}$ of the battery cannot be an eigenstate of a ``free energy operator,'' defined by $\mathcal{F}\ensuremath{\equiv}{H}_{\mathcal{W}}+{\ensuremath{\beta}}^{\ensuremath{-}1}\mathrm{log}({\ensuremath{\rho}}_{\mathcal{W}})$, where ${H}_{\mathcal{W}}$ is the Hamiltonian of the battery and $\ensuremath{\beta}$ is the inverse temperature of a reference thermal bath with respect to which the extractable work is calculated. We do so by proving that fluctuations in the free energy operator upper bound the charging power of a quantum battery. Our findings also suggest that quantum coherence in the battery enhances the charging process, which we illustrate on a toy model of a heat engine.

arXiv:1909.03558•Physical Review Letters•Jul 22, 2020•133 citations

Comment on "Fluctuations in Extractable Work Bound the Charging Power of Quantum Batteries"

Shang-Yung Wang

In an article by García-Pintos et al. [Rev. Lett. 125, 040601 (2020)] the connection between the charging power of a quantum battery and the fluctuations of a "free energy operator" whose expectation value characterizes the maximum extractable work of the battery is studied. The result of the closed-system analysis shows that for a general charging process the battery will have a nonzero charging power if and only if the state of the battery is not an eigenstate of the free energy operator. In this Comment, we point out a few mistakes in the analysis and obtain the correct bound on the charging power. Consequently, the result for closed-system dynamics is in general not correct.

arXiv:2102.04921•Feb 9, 2021•0 citations

Comment on “Fluctuations in Extractable Work Bound the Charging Power of Quantum Batteries”

Stefano Cusumano, Łukasz Rudnicki

In the abstract of [Phys. Rev. Lett. 125, 040601 (2020)] one can read that ``[$\dots{}$] to have a nonzero rate of change of the extractable work, the state ${\ensuremath{\rho}}_{\mathcal{W}}$ of the battery cannot be an eigenstate of a `free energy operator,' defined by $\mathcal{F}\ensuremath{\equiv}{H}_{\mathcal{W}}+{\ensuremath{\beta}}^{\ensuremath{-}1}\mathrm{log}({\ensuremath{\rho}}_{\mathcal{W}})$, where ${H}_{\mathcal{W}}$ is the Hamiltonian of the battery and $\ensuremath{\beta}$ is the inverse temperature [$\dots{}$].'' Contrarily to what is presented below Eq. (17) of the Letter, we observe that the above conclusion does not hold when the battery is subject to nonunitary dynamics.

arXiv:2102.05627•Physical Review Letters•Jul 9, 2021•9 citations

Bounds on charging power of open quantum batteries

Shadab Zakavati, F. T. Tabesh, S. Salimi

In general, quantum systems most likely undergo open-system dynamics due to their smallness and sensitivity. Energy storage devices, so-called quantum batteries, are not excluded from this phenomenon. Here, we study fundamental bounds on the power of open quantum batteries from the geometric point of view. By defining an activity operator, a tight upper bound on the charging power is derived for the open quantum batteries in terms of the fluctuations of the activity operator and the quantum Fisher information. The variance of the activity operator may be interpreted as a generalized thermodynamic force, while the quantum Fisher information describes the speed of evolution in the state space of the battery. The thermodynamic interpretation of the upper bound is discussed in detail. As an example, a model for the battery, taking into account the environmental effects, is proposed, and the effect of dissipation and decoherence during the charging process on both the stored work and the charging power is investigated. Our results show that the upper bound is saturated in some time intervals. Also, the maximum value of both the stored work and the corresponding power is achieved in the non-Markovian underdamped regime.

arXiv:2003.09814•Physical review. E•Nov 17, 2021•76 citations

García-Pintos, Hamma, and del Campo Reply:

Luis Pedro García-Pintos, Alioscia Hamma, Adolfo del Campo

We acknowledge that a derivation reported in Phys. Rev. Lett. 125, 040601 (2020)PRLTAO0031-900710.1103/PhysRevLett.125.040601 is incorrect as pointed out by Cusumano and Rudnicki. We respond by giving a correct proof of the claim "fluctuations in the free energy operator upper bound the charging power of a quantum battery" that we made in the Letter.

Physical Review Letters•Jul 9, 2021•4 citations

Hamiltonian $k$-Locality is the Key Resource for Powerful Quantum Battery Charging

Anupam Sarkar, Sibasish Ghosh A

Storing and extracting energy using quantum degrees of freedom is a promising approach to leveraging quantum effects in energy science. Early experimental efforts have already demonstrated its potential to surpass the charging power of existing technologies. In this context, it is crucial to identify the specific quantum effects that can be exploited to design the most efficient quantum batteries and push their performance to the ultimate limit. While entanglement has often been considered a key factor in enhancing charging (or discharging) power, our findings reveal that it is not as critical as previously thought. Instead, three parameters emerge as the most significant in determining the upper bound of instantaneous charging power: the locality of the battery and charger Hamiltonians, and the maximum energy storable in a single unit cell of the battery. To derive this new bound, we have also addressed several open questions previously noted in the literature but lacks an explanation. This bound provides a foundation for designing the most powerful charger-battery systems, where combined optimization of both components offers enhancements that cannot be achieved by manipulating only one of them.

arXiv:2501.12000•Jan 21, 2025•0 citations
Motivated by a recent disagreement about the claim that fluctuations in the free energy operator bound the charging power of a quantum battery, we present a critical analysis of the original derivation. The analysis shows that the above claim does not hold for both closed- and open-system dynamics. Our results indicate that the free energy operator is not a consistent quantifying operator for the work content of a charging quantum battery.
We study the connection between the charging power of quantum batteries and the fluctuations of the extractable work. We prove that in order to have a nonzero rate of change of the extractable work, the state ${\ensuremath{\rho}}_{\mathcal{W}}$ of the battery cannot be an eigenstate of a ``free energy operator,'' defined by $\mathcal{F}\ensuremath{\equiv}{H}_{\mathcal{W}}+{\ensuremath{\beta}}^{\ensuremath{-}1}\mathrm{log}({\ensuremath{\rho}}_{\mathcal{W}})$, where HW{H}_{\mathcal{W}}HW​ is the Hamiltonian of the battery and $\ensuremath{\beta}$ is the inverse temperature of a reference thermal bath with respect to which the extractable work is calculated. We do so by proving that fluctuations in the free energy operator upper bound the charging power of a quantum battery. Our findings also suggest that quantum coherence in the battery enhances the charging process, which we illustrate on a toy model of a heat engine.
In an article by García-Pintos et al. [Rev. Lett. 125, 040601 (2020)] the connection between the charging power of a quantum battery and the fluctuations of a "free energy operator" whose expectation value characterizes the maximum extractable work of the battery is studied. The result of the closed-system analysis shows that for a general charging process the battery will have a nonzero charging power if and only if the state of the battery is not an eigenstate of the free energy operator. In this Comment, we point out a few mistakes in the analysis and obtain the correct bound on the charging power. Consequently, the result for closed-system dynamics is in general not correct.
In the abstract of [Phys. Rev. Lett. 125, 040601 (2020)] one can read that ``[…\dots{}…] to have a nonzero rate of change of the extractable work, the state ${\ensuremath{\rho}}_{\mathcal{W}}$ of the battery cannot be an eigenstate of a `free energy operator,' defined by $\mathcal{F}\ensuremath{\equiv}{H}_{\mathcal{W}}+{\ensuremath{\beta}}^{\ensuremath{-}1}\mathrm{log}({\ensuremath{\rho}}_{\mathcal{W}})$, where HW{H}_{\mathcal{W}}HW​ is the Hamiltonian of the battery and $\ensuremath{\beta}$ is the inverse temperature […\dots{}…].'' Contrarily to what is presented below Eq. (17) of the Letter, we observe that the above conclusion does not hold when the battery is subject to nonunitary dynamics.
In general, quantum systems most likely undergo open-system dynamics due to their smallness and sensitivity. Energy storage devices, so-called quantum batteries, are not excluded from this phenomenon. Here, we study fundamental bounds on the power of open quantum batteries from the geometric point of view. By defining an activity operator, a tight upper bound on the charging power is derived for the open quantum batteries in terms of the fluctuations of the activity operator and the quantum Fisher information. The variance of the activity operator may be interpreted as a generalized thermodynamic force, while the quantum Fisher information describes the speed of evolution in the state space of the battery. The thermodynamic interpretation of the upper bound is discussed in detail. As an example, a model for the battery, taking into account the environmental effects, is proposed, and the effect of dissipation and decoherence during the charging process on both the stored work and the charging power is investigated. Our results show that the upper bound is saturated in some time intervals. Also, the maximum value of both the stored work and the corresponding power is achieved in the non-Markovian underdamped regime.
Hamiltonian kkk-Locality is the Key Resource for Powerful Quantum Battery Charging
Storing and extracting energy using quantum degrees of freedom is a promising approach to leveraging quantum effects in energy science. Early experimental efforts have already demonstrated its potential to surpass the charging power of existing technologies. In this context, it is crucial to identify the specific quantum effects that can be exploited to design the most efficient quantum batteries and push their performance to the ultimate limit. While entanglement has often been considered a key factor in enhancing charging (or discharging) power, our findings reveal that it is not as critical as previously thought. Instead, three parameters emerge as the most significant in determining the upper bound of instantaneous charging power: the locality of the battery and charger Hamiltonians, and the maximum energy storable in a single unit cell of the battery. To derive this new bound, we have also addressed several open questions previously noted in the literature but lacks an explanation. This bound provides a foundation for designing the most powerful charger-battery systems, where combined optimization of both components offers enhancements that cannot be achieved by manipulating only one of them.