Bath generated work extraction in two-level systems
Abstract
The spin-boson model, often used in NMR and ESR physics, quantum optics and spintronics, is considered in a solvable limit to model a spin one-half particle interacting with a bosonic thermal bath. By applying external pulses to a non-equilibrium initial state of the spin, work can be extracted from the thermalized bath. It occurs on the timescale T_2 inherent to transversal (`quantum') fluctuations. The work (partly) arises from heat given off by the surrounding bath, while the spin entropy remains constant during a pulse. This presents a violation of the Clausius inequality and the Thomson formulation of the second law (cycles cost work) for the two-level system.
Cite
@article{arxiv.cond-mat/0208565,
title = {Bath generated work extraction in two-level systems},
author = {Claudia Pombo and Armen E. Allahverdyan and Theo M. Nieuwenhuizen},
journal= {arXiv preprint arXiv:cond-mat/0208565},
year = {2009}
}
Comments
5 pages Latex, uses aip-proceedings style files. Proceedings `Quantum Limits to the Second Law', San Diego, July 2002