Abstract This study investigates the quantum heat correlations associated with the quantum Otto machine, considering the discrete sides of the Lipkin-Meshkov-Glick model as the working medium in the presence of a magnetic field and a symmetric cross interaction. The eigenenergy and occupation probabilities of two-sided and three-sided spin interactions are determined at thermal equilibrium. The results reveal symmetrical heat correlations around the coupling of the symmetric cross interaction, regardless of whether the working medium adopts anisotropic XY, Ising model, or mixed ferromagnetism. The work done by two or three sides of the mixed ferromagnetic working substance exhibits symmetry but with different maximum bounds. Furthermore, the efficiency of the two-sided mixed ferromagnetism model improves as the exchange parameter increases, while the maximum efficiency of the anisotropic XY model is lower compared to the efficiency of the Ising model and mixed ferromagnetism. It is also highlighted that a quantum heat engine or refrigerator can be generated by controlling the system’s anisotropy parameter using a three-sided spin interaction.
Abstract This study investigates the quantum heat correlations associated with the quantum Otto machine, considering the discrete sides of the Lipkin-Meshkov-Glick model as the working medium in the presence of a magnetic field and a symmetric cross interaction. The eigenenergy and occupation probabilities of two-sided and three-sided spin interactions are determined at thermal equilibrium. The results reveal symmetrical heat correlations around the coupling of the symmetric cross interaction, regardless of whether the working medium adopts anisotropic XY, Ising model, or mixed ferromagnetism. The work done by two or three sides of the mixed ferromagnetic working substance exhibits symmetry but with different maximum bounds. Furthermore, the efficiency of the two-sided mixed ferromagnetism model improves as the exchange parameter increases, while the maximum efficiency of the anisotropic XY model is lower compared to the efficiency of the Ising model and mixed ferromagnetism. It is also highlighted that a quantum heat engine or refrigerator can be generated by controlling the system’s anisotropy parameter using a three-sided spin interaction.
Abstract This paper proposes a theoretical model for a heat engine operating on the Otto cycle, employing a two-qubit Heisenberg chain as its working substance. This system is subjected to an external, time-dependent homogeneous magnetic field and a symmetric cross-spin interaction. The interaction is configured to occur along two distinct orientations, contingent upon the direction of Zeeman energy and symmetric interaction: either exclusively along the X -direction or exclusively along the Z -direction. Furthermore, the thermal reservoirs integral to the Otto engine are considered to engage with the working substance via two discrete modes: a localized interaction or a collective interaction. The two qubits exhibit weak coupling to a non-equilibrium thermal environment during the isochoric heating and cooling strokes, thereby validating the application of a Markovian model as a suitable approximation for describing the time evolution of the working substance. This study investigates the influence of various system parameters on the thermodynamic quantities and the resultant power output. A principal finding is that refrigeration functionality is the predominant operational characteristic when the system engages in collective interaction with the reservoirs. Conversely, localized interactions facilitate dual operational modes, with the sign of the Zeeman energy determining the function as either a refrigerator or a heat engine. Significantly, positive power output is achieved in the engine regime, and we find that the choice of interaction axis acts as a powerful amplification mechanism for the thermodynamic output, while the system-environment coupling scheme proves to be the most decisive factor in determining the machine’s fundamental purpose.
Abstract We investigate the thermodynamic performance of quantum heat engines and refrigerators based on a two-spin system subject to a skew magnetic field. The working substance is described by an interacting spin model that incorporates both spin--spin coupling and anisotropy induced by a tilted magnetic field. We analyze and compare quantum Carnot and Otto cycles, showing that the Carnot cycle exhibits a universal, entropy-driven behavior with smooth phase boundaries, while the Otto cycle displays a much richer structure governed by the interplay between the energy spectrum and nonequilibrium population differences. In particular, we identify a crossover in both efficiency and coefficient of performance as a function of the interaction strength, which arises from the competition between the interaction energy scale and the magnetic field. We further demonstrate that the skew angle induces state hybridization, modifying both the energy levels and occupation probabilities. Our results highlight that interactions and anisotropy, when properly tuned, can enhance thermodynamic performance, and emphasize the importance of multi-level effects in the design of quantum thermal machines.
Abstract We start with a revision study of two coupled spin- 1 / 2 under the influence of Kaplan–Shekhtman–Entin-Wohlman–Aharony interaction and a magnetic field. We first show the role of idle levels, i.e. levels that do not couple to the external magnetic field, when the system is working as a heat engine as well as when it is a refrigerator. Then we extend the results reported in Altintas and Müstecaplıoğlu (2015 Phys. Rev. E 92 022142) by showing that it is not necessary to change both the magnetic field as well as the coupling parameters to break the extensive property of the work extracted globally from two coupled spin- 1 / 2 as has been demonstrated there. Then we study the role of increasing the number of coupled spins on efficiency, extractable work, and coefficient of performance (COP). First, we consider two- and three-coupled spin- 1 / 2 Heisenberg X X X -chain. We prove that the latter can outperform the former in terms of efficiency, extractable work, and COP. Then we consider the Ising model, where the number of interacting spins ranges from two to six. We show that only when the number of interacting spins is odd the system can work as a heat engine in the strong coupling regime. The enhancements in efficiency and COP are explored in detail. Finally, this model confirms the idea that entanglement and quantum correlations are not the reasons behind the enhancements observed in efficiency, extractable work, and COP, but only due to the structure of the energy levels of the Hamiltonian of the working substance. In addition to this, the extensive property of global work as well, is not affected by entanglement and quantum correlations.
We study a quantum Otto heat engine whose working substance is an anisotropic two-qubit Heisenberg XYZ model. Independent local magnetic fields are used to control each spin individually. The influence of the longitudinal coupling, anisotropy, transverse coupling, and local fields on the net work output and efficiency is systematically examined. Reducing the longitudinal coupling is found to markedly improve both the maximum work and the peak efficiency. The engine performance reaches an optimum at a particular value of the anisotropy parameter. A local work analysis clarifies how work is produced during the cycle. Because of the asymmetric local fields and the intrinsic spin-spin interaction, the two qubits play markedly different thermodynamic roles; the interaction term itself contributes crucially to the total work. We further analyze the variation of quantum entanglement, quantified by concurrence, along the cycle. The results indicate that a pronounced change in entanglement between the hot and cold isomagnetic strokes is closely correlated with the efficiency enhancement. This work offers new insight into the operating principles and control of quantum Otto heat engines.
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.
Quantum thermal machines make use of non-classical thermodynamic resources, one of which include interactions between elements of the quantum working medium. In this paper, we examine the performance of a quasi-static quantum Otto engine based on two spins of arbitrary magnitudes subject to an external magnetic field and coupled via an isotropic Heisenberg exchange interaction. It has been shown earlier that the said interaction provides an enhancement of cycle efficiency, with an upper bound that is tighter than the Carnot efficiency. However, the necessary conditions governing engine performance and the relevant upper bound for efficiency are unknown for the general case of arbitrary spin magnitudes. By analyzing extreme case scenarios, we formulate heuristics to infer the necessary conditions for an engine with uncoupled as well as coupled spin model. These conditions lead us to a connection between performance of quantum heat engines and the notion of majorization. Furthermore, the study of complete Otto cycles inherent in the average cycle also yields interesting insights into the average performance.