Many-body quantum heat engines based on free-fermion systems

Abstract

We study the performances of an imperfect quantum many-body Otto engine based on free-fermion systems. Starting from the thermodynamic definitions of heat and work along ideal isothermal, adiabatic, and isochoric transformations, we generalize these expressions in the case when the hypotheses of ideality are relaxed (i.e., nonperfect thermalization with the external baths, as well as nonperfect quantum adiabaticity in the unitary dynamic protocols). These results are used to evaluate the work and the power delivered by an imperfect quantum many-body heat engine in a finite time, whose working substance is constituted by a quantum Ising chain in a transverse field: We discuss the emerging optimal working points as functions of the various model parameters.

16 pages, 9 figures

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• Multiparticle Quantum Heat Engine: Exploring the Impact of Criticality on Efficiency
• Quantum Otto engine mimicking Carnot near pseudotransitions in the one-dimensional extended Hubbard model in the atomic limit
• Out-of-equilibrium quantum thermochemical engine with one-dimensional Bose gas
• Quantum thermal machine regimes in the transverse-field Ising model
• Finite-time performance of a cyclic 2d quantum Ising heat engine
• Universal efficiency boost in prethermal quantum heat engines at negative temperature