Universal principles for sudden-quench quantum Otto engines

Fuente: arXiv
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Main Authors: Watson, R. S., Kheruntsyan, K. V.
Format: Preprint
Published: 2025
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author Watson, R. S.
Kheruntsyan, K. V.
author_facet Watson, R. S.
Kheruntsyan, K. V.
contents We apply a simple sudden quench approximation for the unitary work strokes of a quantum Otto engine in order to provide a general analysis of its performance, applicable to arbitrary quantum models with two-body interactions. This work extends recent results for an interaction-driven Otto cycle to generic many-body interacting quantum models, providing universal bounds on their operation efficiency. From this, we demonstrate that the net work of such an engine cycle is determined entirely by interparticle correlations. Applications are demonstrated for a handful of paradigmatic many-body quantum models, including a novel engine -- with a spin-1/2 Fermi gas with contact two-body interactions as its working medium -- in which we leverage control over spin polarization to greatly enhance its performance compared to the unpolarized case. We then extend the analysis of interaction-driven quantum Otto engine cycles to systems where control is exerted over the strength of arbitrary quantum operators that might be present in the system Hamiltonian (such as one-body, or three-body, etc.), finding that the general principles derived for the sudden quench with two-body interactions apply universally. As an example, this is demonstrated for a conventional volumetric Otto cycle, where beneficial net work is generated by leveraging the control over the frequency of an external trap, which is a one-body operator. However, we emphasize that the results derived here apply universally to all Otto engine cycles operating under a sudden quench protocol.
format Preprint
id arxiv_https___arxiv_org_abs_2505_21933
institution arXiv
publishDate 2025
record_format arxiv
spellingShingle Universal principles for sudden-quench quantum Otto engines
Watson, R. S.
Kheruntsyan, K. V.
Quantum Gases
Statistical Mechanics
Quantum Physics
We apply a simple sudden quench approximation for the unitary work strokes of a quantum Otto engine in order to provide a general analysis of its performance, applicable to arbitrary quantum models with two-body interactions. This work extends recent results for an interaction-driven Otto cycle to generic many-body interacting quantum models, providing universal bounds on their operation efficiency. From this, we demonstrate that the net work of such an engine cycle is determined entirely by interparticle correlations. Applications are demonstrated for a handful of paradigmatic many-body quantum models, including a novel engine -- with a spin-1/2 Fermi gas with contact two-body interactions as its working medium -- in which we leverage control over spin polarization to greatly enhance its performance compared to the unpolarized case. We then extend the analysis of interaction-driven quantum Otto engine cycles to systems where control is exerted over the strength of arbitrary quantum operators that might be present in the system Hamiltonian (such as one-body, or three-body, etc.), finding that the general principles derived for the sudden quench with two-body interactions apply universally. As an example, this is demonstrated for a conventional volumetric Otto cycle, where beneficial net work is generated by leveraging the control over the frequency of an external trap, which is a one-body operator. However, we emphasize that the results derived here apply universally to all Otto engine cycles operating under a sudden quench protocol.
title Universal principles for sudden-quench quantum Otto engines
topic Quantum Gases
Statistical Mechanics
Quantum Physics
url https://arxiv.org/abs/2505.21933