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Quantum engine efficiency bound beyond the second law of thermodynamics

Author

Listed:
  • Wolfgang Niedenzu

    (Weizmann Institute of Science)

  • Victor Mukherjee

    (Weizmann Institute of Science
    Shanghai University)

  • Arnab Ghosh

    (Weizmann Institute of Science
    Shanghai University)

  • Abraham G. Kofman

    (Weizmann Institute of Science
    CEMS, RIKEN)

  • Gershon Kurizki

    (Weizmann Institute of Science)

Abstract

According to the second law, the efficiency of cyclic heat engines is limited by the Carnot bound that is attained by engines that operate between two thermal baths under the reversibility condition whereby the total entropy does not increase. Quantum engines operating between a thermal and a squeezed-thermal bath have been shown to surpass this bound. Yet, their maximum efficiency cannot be determined by the reversibility condition, which may yield an unachievable efficiency bound above unity. Here we identify the fraction of the exchanged energy between a quantum system and a bath that necessarily causes an entropy change and derive an inequality for this change. This inequality reveals an efficiency bound for quantum engines energised by a non-thermal bath. This bound does not imply reversibility, unless the two baths are thermal. It cannot be solely deduced from the laws of thermodynamics.

Suggested Citation

  • Wolfgang Niedenzu & Victor Mukherjee & Arnab Ghosh & Abraham G. Kofman & Gershon Kurizki, 2018. "Quantum engine efficiency bound beyond the second law of thermodynamics," Nature Communications, Nature, vol. 9(1), pages 1-13, December.
    • Handle: RePEc:nat:natcom:v:9:y:2018:i:1:d:10.1038_s41467-017-01991-6
    DOI: 10.1038/s41467-017-01991-6
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