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PRX Quantum

Extending the Laws of Thermodynamics for Arbitrary Autonomous Quantum Systems

Cyril Elouard, Camille Lombard Latune

Published Apr 18, 2023• 33 citations
Publisher

Abstract

Energy exchanges between arbitrary quantum systems are shown to obey thermodynamic laws, opening the way for the characterization of autonomous thermal devices at the microscale fueled by quantum, nonideal energy sources.
DOI
10.1103/prxquantum.4.020309

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We consider an isolated autonomous quantum machine, where an explicit quantum clock is responsible for performing all transformations on an arbitrary quantum system (the engine), via a time-independent Hamiltonian. In a general context, we show that this model can exactly implement any energy-conserving unitary on the engine, without degrading the clock. Furthermore, we show that when the engine includes a quantum work storage device we can approximately perform completely general unitaries on the remainder of the engine. This framework can be used in quantum thermodynamics to carry out arbitrary transformations of a system, with accuracy and extracted work as close to optimal as desired, while obeying the first and second laws of thermodynamics. We thus show that autonomous thermal machines suffer no intrinsic thermodynamic cost compared to externally controlled ones.