Related papers: Quantum Ratchets
Quantum ratchets exhibit asymptotic currents when driven by a time-periodic potential of zero mean if the proper spatio-temporal symmetries are broken. There has been recent debate on whether directed currents may arise for potentials which…
We present a perturbative study of the response of cold atoms in an optical lattice to a weak time- and space-asymmetric periodic driving signal. In the noninteracting limit, and for a finite set of resonant frequencies, we show how a…
Established heat engines in quantum regime can be modeled with various quantum systems as working substances. For example, in the non-relativistic case, we can model the heat engine using infinite potential well as a working substance to…
Searching for nonthermalized dynamics in interacting quantum systems is not only of fundamental theoretical interest in nonequilibrium quantum physics, but also of immense practical significance in quantum information processing. In this…
A one-dimensional periodic array of elastically colliding hard points, with a non-centrosymmetric unit cell, connected at its two ends to {\em identical but non-thermal} energy reservoirs, is shown to carry a sustained unidirectional energy…
Experiments with trapped atomic gases have opened novel possibilities for studying the evolution of nonequilibrium finite quantum systems, which revived the necessity of reconsidering and developing the theory of such processes. This review…
A theoretical description of quantum mechanical steady states is developed. Applications for simple quantum mechanical systems described in terms of coupled level structures yield a formulation equivalent to time independent scattering…
In the quest for high-performance quantum thermal machines, looking for an optimal thermodynamic efficiency is only part of the issue. Indeed, at the level of quantum devices, fluctuations become extremely relevant and need to be taken into…
The theory relevant to the study of matter in equilibrium with the radiation field is thermal quantum electrodynamics (TQED). We present a formulation of the theory, suitable for non relativistic fluids, based on a joint functional integral…
Describing current in open quantum systems can be problematic due to the subtle interplay of quantum coherence and environmental noise. Probing the noise-induced current can be detrimental to the tunneling-induced current and vice versa. We…
We study the internal dynamics of an elementary quantum system placed close to a body held at a temperature different from that of the surrounding radiation. We derive general expressions for lifetime and density matrix valid for bodies of…
We propose to use a quantum ratchet to transport quantum information in a chain of atoms trapped in an optical superlattice. The quantum ratchet is created by a continuous modulation of the optical superlattice which is periodic in time and…
We study the energetics of isothermal ratchets which are driven by a chemical reaction between two states and operate in contact with a single heat bath of constant temperature. We discuss generic aspects of energy transduction such as…
An exact stochastic model for the thermalisation of quantum states is proposed. The model has various physically appealing properties. The dynamics are characterised by an underlying Schrodinger evolution, together with a nonlinear term…
We consider a discrete quantum system coupled to a finite bath, which may consist of only one particle, in contrast to the standard baths which usually consist of continua of oscillators, spins, etc. We find that such finite baths may…
This colloquium gives an overview of recent theoretical and experimental progress in the area of nonequilibrium dynamics of isolated quantum systems. We particularly focus on quantum quenches: the temporal evolution following a sudden or…
Thermodynamical equilibrium is considered as an effect of quantum entangling of the vacuum state of a system. An explicit mathematical model of multi- particle entangled pure quantum states is developed and analyzed. In the framework, the…
Thermal ratchets can extract useful work from random fluctuations. This is common in the molecular scale, such as motor proteins, and has also been used to achieve directional transport in microfluidic devices. In this work, we use the…
We study a chain of alternating hot and cold electronic nanocavities -- connected to one another via resonant-tunneling quantum dots -- with the intent of achieving precise thermal control across the chain. This is accomplished by…
Continuous particle exchange thermal machines require no time-dependent driving, can be realised in solid-state electronic devices, and miniaturised to nanometre scale. Quantum dots, providing a narrow energy filter and allowing to…