Periodically refreshed quantum thermal machines

Abstract

We introduce unique class of cyclic quantum thermal machines (QTMs) which can maximize their performance at the finite value of cycle duration $\tau$ where they are most irreversible. These QTMs are based on single-stroke thermodynamic cycles realized by the non-equilibrium steady state (NESS) of the so-called Periodically Refreshed Baths (PReB) process. We find that such QTMs can interpolate between standard collisional QTMs, which consider repeated interactions with single-site environments, and autonomous QTMs operated by simultaneous coupling to multiple macroscopic baths. We discuss the physical realization of such processes and show that their implementation requires a finite number of copies of the baths. Interestingly, maximizing performance by operating in the most irreversible point as a function of $\tau$ comes at the cost of increasing the complexity of realizing such a regime, the latter quantified by the increase in the number of copies of baths required. We demonstrate this physics considering a simple example. We also introduce an elegant description of the PReB process for Gaussian systems in terms of a discrete-time Lyapunov equation. Further, our analysis also reveals interesting connections with Zeno and anti-Zeno effects.

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Cited by in corpus (3)

• Quantum non-stationary phenomena of spin systems in collision models
• Efficiency fluctuations in a quantum battery charged by a repeated interaction process
• Thermodynamics of a continuously monitored double quantum dot heat engine in the repeated interactions framework