We characterize for the first time the performances of IBM quantum chips as quantum batteries, specifically addressing the single-qubit Armonk processor. By exploiting the Pulse access enabled to some of the IBM Quantum processors via the Qiskit package, we investigate the advantages and limitations of different profiles for classical drives used to charge these miniaturized batteries, establishing the optimal compromise between charging time and stored energy. Moreover, we consider the role played by various possible initial conditions on the functioning of the quantum batteries. As the main result of our analysis, we observe that unavoidable errors occurring in the initialization phase of the qubit, which can be detrimental for quantum computing applications, only marginally affect energy transfer and storage. This can lead counter-intuitively to improvements of the performances. This is a strong indication of the fact that IBM quantum devices are already in the proper range of parameters to be considered as good and stable quantum batteries comparable to state-of-the-art devices recently discussed in the literature.
We characterize for the first time the performances of IBM quantum chips as quantum batteries, specifically addressing the single-qubit Armonk processor. By exploiting the Pulse access enabled to some of the IBM Quantum processors via the Qiskit package, we investigate the advantages and limitations of different profiles for classical drives used to charge these miniaturized batteries, establishing the optimal compromise between charging time and stored energy. Moreover, we consider the role played by various possible initial conditions on the functioning of the quantum batteries. As the main result of our analysis, we observe that unavoidable errors occurring in the initialization phase of the qubit, which can be detrimental for quantum computing applications, only marginally affect energy transfer and storage. This can lead counter-intuitively to improvements of the performances. This is a strong indication of the fact that IBM quantum devices are already in the proper range of parameters to be considered as good and stable quantum batteries comparable to state-of-the-art devices recently discussed in the literature.
The main focus of this chapter is on the Armonk single-qubit processor, and the authors give a full account of what IBM's quantum chips can do, specifically as quantum batteries. The goal is to find the best balance between charging time and stored energy by using the Pulse functionality offered by some IBM Quantum processors through the Qiskit package. To do this, the authors look at the pros and cons of several common drive profiles used to charge these small batteries. They also look at how different starting factors can change how quantum batteries work. This research shows that the mistakes that happen naturally at the start of qubit activation don't have a big impact on how energy is sent or stored. On the other hand, these effects may slow down apps that use quantum computing. Interestingly, this could make things run more smoothly. This is strong proof that IBM's quantum devices meet the requirements to be called stable quantum batteries, similar to the cutting-edge devices that were just published in scientific journals.
Motivated by recent experimental observations carried out in superconducting transmon circuits, we compare two different charging protocols for three-level quantum batteries based on time-dependent classical pulses. In the first case, the complete charging is achieved through the application of two sequential pulses, while in the second the charging occurs in a unique step applying the two pulses simultaneously. The latter approach is characterized by a shorter charging time, and consequently by a greater charging power. Moreover, both protocols are analytically solvable, leading to a complete control on the dynamics of the quantum system and opening unique perspectives in the manipulation of the so-called qutrits. To support this analysis, we have tested both protocols on IBM quantum devices based on superconducting circuits in the transmon regime. The minimum achieved charging time represents one of the fastest stable charging reported so far in solid-state quantum batteries. Published by the American Physical Society 2024
Batteries are fundamental components of nowadays technologies and play a crucial role in our daily lives. Varying greatly in size and capacity, they are devices capable of storing energy, supplied from an external system, and releasing it in a controlled manner to a user system. Despite the impressive technological improvements over the past two centuries, the batteries we currently use still rely on the electrochemical principles exploited by A. Volta at the end of the 18th century. However, the constant miniaturization of electronic devices calls for the realization of increasingly smaller batteries, down to sizes comparable to those of molecules and atoms. At these scales, quantum effects must be taken into account. It is therefore necessary to reconsider energy manipulation within the framework of quantum thermodynamics, a research field that aims to extend the laws of classical thermodynamics and non-equilibrium statistical physics to systems where quantum effects become significant. In this context, the possibility to properly characterize the energetics of miniaturized thermal machines represented a major boost for the development of quantum technologies devoted to energy storage and manipulation. This Thesis explores solid-state quantum batteries, bridging theoretical models with experimental simulations. Key contributions include the simulation of few-level QBs on IBM quantum hardware, demonstrating the viability of superconducting circuits for energy tasks. The work introduces a cyclic QB model where quantum correlations enable efficiencies exceeding 50%, and examines a harmonic oscillator battery where non-Markovian dynamics facilitate ultra-fast charging. Finally, a novel implementation based on Graphene Josephson Junctions is proposed to realize a Dicke quantum battery. These results highlight the potential of quantum technologies for the future of miniaturized energy storage.
We discuss a one-dimensional coupled qubit-array quantum battery model under Born-Karman boundary conditions and investigate both the charging and discharging processes. Applying the stored energy, charging power, and ergotropy as the essential physical indicators of quantum battery, it is observed that minimizing the hopping interaction between the nearest-neighbor qubits in the qubit-array and increasing the number of qubits during battery setup are crucial. Additionally, we employ a classical driving field to optimize battery performance and explore the optimal quantum battery performance by adjusting the driving strength of the classical field. Finally, we have discovered that the initial energy in the charger no longer needs to be higher than the energy in the battery in our protocol, the charger will continue to supply energy to the battery even when there is limited initial available energy in the charger. And the conventional approach of preparing the battery's initial state in its ground state, as observed in previous studies, may not necessarily be the optimal choice. By introducing a strong classical driving field, it is possible to enhance energy storage by allowing for an initial presence of some energy within the battery.
The progressive miniaturization of devices devoted to energy manipulation and storage calls for extending thermodynamic concepts towards regimes where quantum effects become unavoidable. In this context, quantum thermodynamics provides the proper framework for understanding and exploiting non-classical effects for energy applications. Within this framework, we present a comprehensive review of the role played by spin systems as versatile platforms for quantum energy technologies, focusing on their dual role as Quantum Thermal Machines and Quantum Batteries. We discuss how the combination of discrete spectra, engineered interactions and long coherence times enables the realization of high-performance quantum devices. We then highlight how genuinely quantum features can be exploited to achieve performance beyond classical limits. Beyond theoretical developments, we review the rapid experimental progress across leading spin platforms, including nuclear magnetic resonance systems, trapped ions, nitrogen-vacancy centers in diamond and superconducting circuits, which are bringing quantum energy devices from conceptual proposals to actual realizations. By presenting a unified spin-based framework that integrates energy conversion and storage, this review outlines the foundations of the emerging field of quantum energy and identifies key challenges and future directions for scalable quantum energy technologies.
Abstract The challenge of storing energy efficiently and sustainably is highly prominent within modern scientific investigations. Due to the ongoing trend of miniaturization, the design of expressly quantum storage devices is itself a crucial task within current quantum technological research. Here we provide a transparent analytic model of a two-component quantum battery, composed of a charger and an energy holder, which is driven by a short laser pulse. We provide simple expressions for the energy stored in the battery, the maximum amount of work which can be extracted, both the instantaneous and the average powers, and the relevant charging times. This allows us to discuss explicitly the optimal design of the battery in terms of the driving strength of the pulse, the coupling between the charger and the holder, and the inevitable energy loss into the environment. We anticipate that our theory can act as a helpful guide for the nascent experimental work building and characterizing the first generation of truly quantum batteries.