Details
| Original language | English |
|---|---|
| Journal | Quantum |
| Volume | 3 |
| Publication status | Published - 24 Jun 2019 |
| Externally published | Yes |
Abstract
Optimal (reversible) processes in thermodynamics can be modelled as step-by-step processes, where the system is successively thermalized with respect to different Hamiltonians by an external thermal bath. However, in practice interactions between system and thermal bath will take finite time, and precise control of their interaction is usually out of reach. Motivated by this observation, we consider finite-time and uncontrolled operations between system and bath, which result in thermalizations that are only partial in each step. We show that optimal processes can still be achieved for any non-trivial partial thermalizations at the price of increasing the number of operations, and characterise the corresponding tradeoff. We focus on work extraction protocols and show our results in two different frameworks: A collision model and a model where the Hamiltonian of the working system is controlled over time and the system can be brought into contact with a heat bath. Our results show that optimal processes are robust to noise and imperfections in small quantum systems, and can be achieved by a large set of interactions between system and bath.
ASJC Scopus subject areas
- Physics and Astronomy(all)
- Atomic and Molecular Physics, and Optics
- Physics and Astronomy(all)
- Physics and Astronomy (miscellaneous)
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In: Quantum, Vol. 3, 24.06.2019.
Research output: Contribution to journal › Article › Research › peer review
}
TY - JOUR
T1 - Imperfect thermalizations allow for optimal thermodynamic processes
AU - Bäumer, Elisa
AU - Perarnau-Llobet, Martí
AU - Kammerlander, Philipp
AU - Wilming, Henrik
AU - Renner, Renato
N1 - Funding Information: We thank Guillem Perarnau, Matteo Lostaglio, Kamil Korzekwa, and Chris Perry for interesting discussions and useful comments on the manuscript. We acknowledge contributions from the Swiss National Science Foundation via the NCCR QSIT as well as project No. 200020_165843. M.P.-L. acknowledges support from the Alexander von Humboldt Foundation. All authors are grateful for support from the EU COST Action MP1209 on Thermodynamics in the Quantum Regime.
PY - 2019/6/24
Y1 - 2019/6/24
N2 - Optimal (reversible) processes in thermodynamics can be modelled as step-by-step processes, where the system is successively thermalized with respect to different Hamiltonians by an external thermal bath. However, in practice interactions between system and thermal bath will take finite time, and precise control of their interaction is usually out of reach. Motivated by this observation, we consider finite-time and uncontrolled operations between system and bath, which result in thermalizations that are only partial in each step. We show that optimal processes can still be achieved for any non-trivial partial thermalizations at the price of increasing the number of operations, and characterise the corresponding tradeoff. We focus on work extraction protocols and show our results in two different frameworks: A collision model and a model where the Hamiltonian of the working system is controlled over time and the system can be brought into contact with a heat bath. Our results show that optimal processes are robust to noise and imperfections in small quantum systems, and can be achieved by a large set of interactions between system and bath.
AB - Optimal (reversible) processes in thermodynamics can be modelled as step-by-step processes, where the system is successively thermalized with respect to different Hamiltonians by an external thermal bath. However, in practice interactions between system and thermal bath will take finite time, and precise control of their interaction is usually out of reach. Motivated by this observation, we consider finite-time and uncontrolled operations between system and bath, which result in thermalizations that are only partial in each step. We show that optimal processes can still be achieved for any non-trivial partial thermalizations at the price of increasing the number of operations, and characterise the corresponding tradeoff. We focus on work extraction protocols and show our results in two different frameworks: A collision model and a model where the Hamiltonian of the working system is controlled over time and the system can be brought into contact with a heat bath. Our results show that optimal processes are robust to noise and imperfections in small quantum systems, and can be achieved by a large set of interactions between system and bath.
UR - http://www.scopus.com/inward/record.url?scp=85094980884&partnerID=8YFLogxK
U2 - 10.22331/q-2019-06-24-153
DO - 10.22331/q-2019-06-24-153
M3 - Article
AN - SCOPUS:85094980884
VL - 3
JO - Quantum
JF - Quantum
SN - 2521-327X
ER -