Maximum work in minimum time from a conservative quantum system

Peter Salamon*, Karl Heinz Hoffmann, Yair Rezek, Ronnie Kosloff

*Corresponding author for this work

Research output: Contribution to journalArticlepeer-review

115 Scopus citations

Abstract

This paper considers the problem of obtaining maximum work from a conservative quantum system corresponding to a given change in an external parameter in the Hamiltonian. The example we present is a non-interacting collection of harmonic oscillators with a shared frequency ω which changes from a given initial to a given final value. The example is interesting for its role in experiments at ultra-low temperatures and for probing finite-time versions of the third law of thermodynamics. It is also the simplest system displaying quantum friction, which represents loss mechanisms in any reversible prelude to a thermal process. The example leads to a new type of availability. It is also the first example of a minimum time for transitions between thermal states of a thermodynamic system.

Original languageEnglish
Pages (from-to)1027-1032
Number of pages6
JournalPhysical Chemistry Chemical Physics
Volume11
Issue number7
DOIs
StatePublished - 2009

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