2020/03/31 by Revathy B. S., B S Revathy, Victor Mukherjee +2 · 1 citation
Computer Science · Mathematics · Physics and Astronomy · #Advanced Thermodynamics and Statistical Mechanics #Classical mechanics #Critical exponent #Dissipative system #Geometry #Ising model #Law #Mathematics #Phase transition #Physics #Quantum #Quantum Information and Cryptography #Quantum many-body systems #Quantum mechanics #Quantum thermodynamics #Scaling #Statistical physics #Theoretical physics #Unitary state #cond-mat.stat-mech #quant-ph
paper · pdf · doi:10.1103/physrevresearch.2.043247
published as Phys. Rev. Research 2, 043247 (2020) · 11 pages, 7 figures
openalex publication_date 2020/11/18 · arxiv created 2020/11/19 · arxiv updated 2020/11/20 · openalex created_date 2025/10/10 · openalex updated_date 2026/08/05
We demonstrate the existence of universal features in the finite-time thermodynamics of quantum machines by considering a many-body quantum Otto cycle in which the working medium is driven across quantum critical points during the unitary strokes. Specifically, we consider a quantum engine powered by dissipative energizing and relaxing baths. We show that under very generic conditions, the output work is governed by the Kibble-Zurek mechanism; i.e., it exhibits a universal power-law scaling with the driving speed through the critical points. We also optimize the finite-time thermodynamics as a function of the driving speed. The maximum power and the corresponding efficiency take a universal form, and are reached for an optimal speed that is governed by the critical exponents. We exemplify our results by considering a transverse-field Ising spin chain as the working medium. For this model, we also show how the efficiency and power vary as the engine becomes critical.