arXiv:2211.03394 · Physical Review Research

Interaction-enhanced quantum heat engine

Mohamed Boubakour, Thomás Fogarty, Thomas Busch

Published Feb 8, 2023• 28 citations

Abstract

We study a minimal quantum Otto heat engine, where the working medium consists of an interacting few-body system in a harmonic trap. This allows us to consider the interaction strength as an additional tunable parameter during the work strokes. We calculate the figures of merit of this engine as a function of the temperature and show clearly in which parameter regimes the interactions assist in engine performance. We also study the finite-time dynamics and the subsequent tradeoff between the efficiency and the power, comparing the interaction-enhanced cycle with the case where the system remains scale-invariant.

DOI: 10.1103/physrevresearch.5.013088

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