Quantum thermodynamic processes: A control theory for machine cycles

Abstract

The minimal set of thermodynamic control parameters consists of a statistical (thermal) and a mechanical one. These suffice to introduce all the pertinent thermodynamic variables; thermodynamic processes can then be defined as paths on this 2-dimensional control plane. Putting aside coherence we show that for a large class of quantum objects with discrete spectra and for the cycles considered the Carnot efficiency applies as a universal upper bound. In the dynamic (finite time) regime renormalized thermodynamic variables allow to include non-equilibrium phenomena in a systematic way. The machine function ceases to exist in the large speed limit; the way, in which this limit is reached, depends on the type of cycle considered.

14 pages, 12 figures, Replaced by version accepted for publication in European Physical Journal B

References in corpus (10)

• The second law, Maxwell's daemon and work derivable from quantum heat engines
• Decoherence of matter waves by thermal emission of radiation
• The Quantum Four Stroke Heat Engine: Thermodynamic Observables in a Model with Intrinsic Friction
• Molecular heat pump
• Quantum thermodynamic cooling cycle
• Quantum-Classical Transition of Photon-Carnot Engine Induced by Quantum Decoherence
• Driven Spin Systems as Quantum Thermodynamic Machines: Fundamental Limits
• Entropy and Temperature of a Quantum Carnot Engine
• A Cyclic Cooling Algorithm
• Small quantum networks operating as quantum thermodynamic machines

Cited by in corpus (20)

• Quantum Thermodynamics
• Quantum heat engines and refrigerators: Continuous devices
• The Quantum Absorption Refrigerator
• Quantum Thermodynamic Cycles and Quantum Heat Engines (II)
• Quantum Refrigerator and the III-law of Thermodynamics
• Irreversible work and inner friction in quantum thermodynamic processes
• Minimal universal quantum heat machine
• Efficiency at maximum power of minimally nonlinear irreversible heat engines
• Thermodynamics of quantum systems under dynamical control
• Onsager coefficients of a finite-time Carnot cycle
• Strongly coupled quantum heat machines
• Non-equilibrium quantum heat machines
• Quantum bath refrigeration towards absolute zero: unattainability principle challenged
• Heat-machine control by quantum-state preparation: from quantum engines to refrigerators
• Work Extraction and Energy Storage in the Dicke Model
• Power enhancement of heat engines via correlated thermalization in multilevel systems
• Shortcut-to-adiabaticity quantum Otto refrigerator
• Onsager coefficients of a Brownian Carnot cycle
• Quantum Otto cycle efficiency on coupled qudits
• Linear irreversible heat engines based on the local equilibrium assumptions