2019/07/31 by Wolfgang Niedenzu, Marcus Huber, Erez Boukobza · 1 citation
Engineering · Physics and Astronomy · #Advanced Thermodynamics and Statistical Mechanics #Control and Stability of Dynamical Systems #Entropy (arrow of time) #Heat engine #Limit (mathematics) #Maser #Piston (optics) #Quantum #Quantum thermodynamics #Work (physics) #quant-ph #stochastic dynamics and bifurcation
paper · pdf · doi:10.22331/q-2019-10-14-195
published as Quantum 3, 195 (2019) · 13 pages, 7 figures
openalex created_date 2019/07/12 · arxiv created 2019/10/10 · openalex publication_date 2019/10/14 · arxiv updated 2019/10/15 · openalex updated_date 2026/08/05
One of the fundamental questions in quantum thermodynamics concerns the decomposition of energetic changes into heat and work. Contrary to classical engines, the entropy change of the piston cannot be neglected in the quantum domain. As a consequence, different concepts of work arise, depending on the desired task and the implied capabilities of the agent using the work generated by the engine. Each work quantifier---from ergotropy to non-equilibrium free energy---has well defined operational interpretations. We analyse these work quantifiers for a heat-pumped three-level maser and derive the respective engine efficiencies. In the classical limit of strong maser intensities the engine efficiency converges towards the Scovil--Schulz-DuBois maser efficiency, irrespective of the work quantifier.