Related papers: Quantum statistics of a single-atom Scovil-Schulz-…
Quantum coherence has been demonstrated in various systems including organic solar cells and solid state devices. In this letter, we report the lower and upper bounds for the performance of quantum heat engines determined by the efficiency…
Thermodynamics of a three-level maser was studied in the pioneering work of Scovil and Schulz-DuBois [Phys. Rev. Lett. 2, 262 (1959)]. In this work we consider the same three-level model, but treat both the matter and light quantum…
Three types of cycles are identified in the quantum jump trajectories of the Scovil--Schulz-DuBois (SSDB) machine: an R-cycle as refrigeration, an H-cycle as a heat engine, and an N-cycle in which the machine is neutral. The statistics of…
Entropy production is a key concept of thermodynamics and allows one to analyze the operation of engines. For the Scovil-Schulz-DuBois heat engine, the archetypal three-level thermal maser coupled to thermal baths, it was argued that the…
We propose a theoretical model that integrates a three-level $\Lambda$-type quantum heat engine with a vibrating nanomirror, where the connection is established via a laser field. In the presence of both hot and cold thermal photonic baths,…
A key focus of designing quantum thermal devices is the potential advantage that can be gleaned from genuine quantum effects when compared to classical devices. The recent experimental realization of the Pauli engine, where energy is…
In this review the debated rapport between thermodynamics and quantum mechanics is addressed in the framework of the theory of periodically-driven/controlled quantum-thermodynamic machines. The basic model studied here is that of a…
We propose employing a quantum heat engine as a sensitive probe for thermal baths. In particular, we study a single-atom Otto engine operating in an open thermodynamic cycle. Owing to its cyclic nature, the engine is capable of translating…
We propose a quantum heat engine composed of two superconducting transmission line resonators interacting with each other via an optomechanical-like coupling. One resonator is periodically excited by a thermal pump. The incoherently driven…
By reformulating the first law of thermodynamics in the fashion of quantum-mechanical operators on the parameter manifold, we propose a universal class of quantum heat engines (QHE) using the multi-level quantum system as the working…
According to Clausius formulation of the second law of thermodynamics, for any thermal machine withdrawing heats $Q_{1,2}$ from two heat reservoirs at temperatures $T_{1,2}$, it holds $Q_1/T_1+Q_2/T_2 \leq 0$. Combined with the observation…
We compute the quantum Langevin equation (or quantum stochastic differential equation) representing the action of a quantum heat bath at thermal equilibrium on a simple quantum system. These equations are obtained by taking the continuous…
Quantum heat engines form an active field of research due to their potential applications. There are several phenomena that are unique to the quantum regime, some of which are known to give these engines an edge over their classical…
A quantum thermal machine is an open quantum system coupled to hot and cold thermal baths. Thus, its dynamics can be well understood using the concepts and tools from non-Hermitian quantum systems. A hallmark of non-Hermiticity is the…
The treatment of quantum thermodynamic systems beyond weak coupling is of increasing relevance, yet extremely challenging. The evaluation of thermodynamic quantities in strong-coupling regimes requires a nonperturbative knowledge of the…
We consider a situation where an $N$-level system (NLS) is coupled successively to two heat baths with different temperatures without being necessarily thermalized and approaches a steady state. For this situation we apply a general…
We propose a scheme for a single-atom quantum heat engine based on ultra-cold atom technologies. Building on the high degree of control typical of cold atom systems, we demonstrate that three paradigmatic heat engines -- Carnot, Otto and…
Modern technologies could soon make it possible to investigate the operation cycles of quantum heat engines by counting the photons that are emitted and absorbed by their working systems. Using the quantum jump approach to open-system…
We present a theoretical and numerical analysis of a quantum system that is capable of functioning as a heat engine. This system could be realized experimentally using cold bosonic atoms confined to a double well potential that is created…
We present a detailed analysis of slowly driven quantum thermal machines based on interacting qubits within the framework of the Lindblad master equation. By implementing a systematic expansion in the driving rate, we derive explicit…