Fundamental limits on anomalous energy flows in correlated quantum systems

Abstract

In classical thermodynamics energy always flows from the hotter system to the colder one. However, if these systems are initially correlated, the energy flow can reverse, making the cold system colder and the hot system hotter. This intriguing phenomenon is called ``anomalous energy flow'' and shows the importance of initial correlations in determining physical properties of thermodynamic systems. Here we investigate the fundamental limits of this effect. Specifically, we find the optimal amount of energy that can be transferred between quantum systems under closed and reversible dynamics, which then allows us to characterize the anomalous energy flow. We then explore a more general scenario where the energy flow is mediated by an ancillary quantum system that acts as a catalyst. We show that this approach allows for exploiting previously inaccessible types of correlations, ultimately resulting in an energy transfer that surpasses our fundamental bound. To demonstrate these findings, we use a well-studied quantum optics setup involving two atoms coupled to an optical cavity.

5+4 pages. Close to published version

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• Thermodynamic Approach to Quantifying Incompatible Instruments
• Contextuality in anomalous heat flow
• Entanglement generation from athermality
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• Complete characterisation of state conversions by work extraction
• Cooling a Qubit using n Others
• Global-Local Duality of Energetic Control Cost in Multipartite Quantum Correlated Systems
• Thermodynamic Constraints on the Emergence of Intersubjectivity in Quantum Systems
• General quantum resources providing advantages in work-extraction tasks