Nonequilibrium thermodynamics and power generation in open quantum optomechanical systems

Fuente: arXiv
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Auteurs principaux: Paulino, Paulo J., Lesanovsky, Igor, Carollo, Federico
Format: Preprint
Publié: 2022
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author Paulino, Paulo J.
Lesanovsky, Igor
Carollo, Federico
author_facet Paulino, Paulo J.
Lesanovsky, Igor
Carollo, Federico
contents Cavity optomechanical systems are a paradigmatic setting for the conversion of electromagnetic energy into mechanical work. Experiments with atoms coupled to cavity modes are realized in nonequilibrium conditions, described by phenomenological models encoding non-thermal dissipative dynamics and falling outside the framework of weak system-bath couplings. This fact makes their interpretation as quantum engines, e.g., the derivation of a well-defined efficiency, quite challenging. Here, we present a consistent thermodynamic description of open quantum cavity-atom systems. Our approach takes advantage of their nonequilibrium nature and arrives at an energetic balance which is fully interpretable in terms of persistent dissipated heat currents. The interaction between atoms and cavity modes can further give rise to nonequilibrium phase transitions and emergent behavior and allows to assess the impact of collective many-body phenomena on the engine operation. To enable this, we define two thermodynamic limits related to a weak and to a strong optomechanical coupling, respectively. We illustrate our ideas focussing on a time-crystal engine and discuss power generation, energy-conversion efficiency, and emergence of metastable behavior in both limits.
format Preprint
id arxiv_https___arxiv_org_abs_2212_10194
institution arXiv
publishDate 2022
record_format arxiv
spellingShingle Nonequilibrium thermodynamics and power generation in open quantum optomechanical systems
Paulino, Paulo J.
Lesanovsky, Igor
Carollo, Federico
Statistical Mechanics
Quantum Physics
Cavity optomechanical systems are a paradigmatic setting for the conversion of electromagnetic energy into mechanical work. Experiments with atoms coupled to cavity modes are realized in nonequilibrium conditions, described by phenomenological models encoding non-thermal dissipative dynamics and falling outside the framework of weak system-bath couplings. This fact makes their interpretation as quantum engines, e.g., the derivation of a well-defined efficiency, quite challenging. Here, we present a consistent thermodynamic description of open quantum cavity-atom systems. Our approach takes advantage of their nonequilibrium nature and arrives at an energetic balance which is fully interpretable in terms of persistent dissipated heat currents. The interaction between atoms and cavity modes can further give rise to nonequilibrium phase transitions and emergent behavior and allows to assess the impact of collective many-body phenomena on the engine operation. To enable this, we define two thermodynamic limits related to a weak and to a strong optomechanical coupling, respectively. We illustrate our ideas focussing on a time-crystal engine and discuss power generation, energy-conversion efficiency, and emergence of metastable behavior in both limits.
title Nonequilibrium thermodynamics and power generation in open quantum optomechanical systems
topic Statistical Mechanics
Quantum Physics
url https://arxiv.org/abs/2212.10194