Bending the rules: Quantum effects in the operation of a microscopic heat engine in diamond

Jonas N. Becker, James Klatzow, Patrick M. Ledingham, Christian Weinzetl, Krzysztof T. Kaczmarek, Dylan J. Saunders, Joshua Nunn, Raam Uzdin, Ian A. Walmsley, Eilon Poem

Research output: Chapter in Book/Report/Conference proceedingConference contributionpeer-review

Abstract

A classical heat engine that extracts work from thermal sources and which does not include coherence amongst its microscopic degrees of freedom is a fundamental concept of classical thermodynamics. In contrast, the internal states of a quantum heat engine (QHE) can exist in a coherent superposition of energy levels and a question of interest for such a QHE is whether it can exhibit thermodynamic behavior fundamentally different to that allowed in a classical engine. QHEs have recently been implemented using for example trapped ions [1]. However, experiments so far have not shown any non-classical features in their thermodynamic quantities. While the efficiency of a QHE is still bound by the Carnot limit, recent theoretical predictions show that coherence can boost its power output above the classically allowed limit for an engine using the same thermal resources [2]. Moreover, the presence of coherence was predicted to result in the equivalence of different QHE types in the limit of weak driving and short cycle duration.

Original languageEnglish
Title of host publication2019 Conference on Lasers and Electro-Optics Europe and European Quantum Electronics Conference, CLEO/Europe-EQEC 2019
PublisherInstitute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers Inc.
ISBN (Electronic)9781728104690
DOIs
StatePublished - Jun 2019
Externally publishedYes
Event2019 Conference on Lasers and Electro-Optics Europe and European Quantum Electronics Conference, CLEO/Europe-EQEC 2019 - Munich, Germany
Duration: 23 Jun 201927 Jun 2019

Publication series

Name2019 Conference on Lasers and Electro-Optics Europe and European Quantum Electronics Conference, CLEO/Europe-EQEC 2019

Conference

Conference2019 Conference on Lasers and Electro-Optics Europe and European Quantum Electronics Conference, CLEO/Europe-EQEC 2019
Country/TerritoryGermany
CityMunich
Period23/06/1927/06/19

Bibliographical note

Publisher Copyright:
© 2019 IEEE.

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