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The European Physical Journal Special Topics

Quantum thermodynamic Otto machines: A spin-system approach

Markus J. Henrich, F. Rempp, G. Mahler

Published Dec 1, 2007• 71 citations
Publisher
DOI
10.1140/epjst/e2007-00371-8

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This paper examines the performance analysis of quantum Otto machines (QOM) driven by a single qubit system embedded within a spin star environment. We investigate various thermodynamic correlations during the operation of these machines, including work performed, heat absorbed, and heat emissions. For the sake of simplicity, our exploration centers around two scenarios: one where the central qubit interacts with a single spin and another where it interacts with four qubits. Our findings reveal that QOM employing this system exhibit unique thermodynamic properties. Notably, we observe that the QOM can achieve enhanced levels of work performed as the number of spins in the environment increases. Furthermore, both the work performed and the efficiency of the QOM are influenced by the variation in detuning and coupling strength parameters across the four stages of its operation. Additionally, we demonstrate that careful selection of these parameters enables the optimization of QOM performance. In certain instances, the performance of the Otto cycle can be stabilized to emulate the behaviour of a heat engine by manipulating the coupling values while simultaneously controlling the frequency of the central qubit.
Advances in experimental control of interacting quantum many-body systems with multiple tunable parameters-such as ultracold atomic gases and trapped ions-are driving rapid progress in quantum thermodynamics and enabling the design of quantum thermal machines. In this work, we utilize a sudden quench approximation as a means to investigate the operation of a quantum thermodynamic Otto cycle in which multiple parameters are simultaneously controllable. The method applies universally to many-body systems where such control is available, and therefore provides general principles for investigating their operation as a working medium in quantum thermal machines. We investigate application of this multi-parameter quench protocol in an experimentally realistic one-dimensional Bose gas, as well as in the transverse-field Ising model. We find that such a multi-parameter Otto cycle, when operating as an engine, outperforms not only its constituent single-parameter Otto cycles in terms of the net work and efficiency, but also the combined net work of its constituent engine cycles when added together independently. We also find that a similar multi-parameter enhancement applies to the coefficient of performance when the Otto cycle operates as a refrigerator.
We study quantum Otto thermal machines with a two-spin working system coupled by anisotropic interaction. Depending on the choice of different parameters, the quantum Otto cycle can function as different thermal machines, including a heat engine, refrigerator, accelerator, and heater. We aim to investigate how the anisotropy plays a fundamental role in the performance of the quantum Otto engine (QOE) operating in different timescales. We find that while the engine's efficiency increases with the increase in anisotropy for the quasistatic operation, quantum internal friction and incomplete thermalization degrade the performance in a finite-time cycle. Further, we study the quantum heat engine (QHE) with one of the spins (local spin) as the working system. We show that the efficiency of such an engine can surpass the standard quantum Otto limit, along with maximum power, thanks to the anisotropy. This can be attributed to quantum interference effects. We demonstrate that the enhanced performance of a local-spin QHE originates from the same interference effects, as in a measurement-based QOE for their finite-time operation.