2021/03/25 by Jonas F. G. Santos, Jonas F G Santos, Fabricio S. Luiz +1
Engineering · Physics and Astronomy · #Coherence (philosophical gambling strategy) #Entropy (arrow of time) #Harmonic oscillator #Non-equilibrium thermodynamics #Quantum #Quantum Mechanics and Non-Hermitian Physics #Quantum dynamics #Quantum thermodynamics #Thermal #Thermal reservoir #Thermoelastic and Magnetoelastic Phenomena #Topological Materials and Phenomena #quant-ph
paper · pdf · doi:10.1088/1751-8121/ac13de
arxiv created 2021/03/25 · openalex created_date 2021/03/29 · openalex publication_date 2021/07/13 · arxiv updated 2021/08/04 · openalex updated_date 2026/08/05
Abstract We present results concerning aspects of quantum thermodynamics under the background of non-Hermitian quantum mechanics for the dynamics of a quantum harmonic oscillator. Since a better control over the parameters in quantum thermodynamics processes is desired, we use concepts from collisional model to introduce a simple prototype of thermal reservoir based on <mml:math xmlns:mml="http://www.w3.org/1998/Math/MathML" display="inline" overflow="scroll"> <mml:mi mathvariant="script">PT</mml:mi> </mml:math> -symmetric Hamiltonians and study its effects under the thermalization process of a single harmonic oscillator prepared in a displaced thermal state. We verify that controlling the <mml:math xmlns:mml="http://www.w3.org/1998/Math/MathML" display="inline" overflow="scroll"> <mml:mi mathvariant="script">PT</mml:mi> </mml:math> -symmetric features of the reservoir allows to reverse the heat flow between system and reservoir, as well as to preserve the coherence over a longer period of time and reduce the entropy production. Furthermore, we considered a modified quantum Otto cycle in which the standard hot thermal reservoir is replaced by the thermal reservoir based on <mml:math xmlns:mml="http://www.w3.org/1998/Math/MathML" display="inline" overflow="scroll"> <mml:mi mathvariant="script">PT</mml:mi> </mml:math> -symmetric Hamiltonians. By defining an effective temperature depending on the <mml:math xmlns:mml="http://www.w3.org/1998/Math/MathML" display="inline" overflow="scroll"> <mml:mi mathvariant="script">PT</mml:mi> </mml:math> -symmetric parameter, it is possible to interchange the quantum Otto cycle configuration from engine to refrigerator by varying the <mml:math xmlns:mml="http://www.w3.org/1998/Math/MathML" display="inline" overflow="scroll"> <mml:mi mathvariant="script">PT</mml:mi> </mml:math> -symmetric parameter. Our results indicate that <mml:math xmlns:mml="http://www.w3.org/1998/Math/MathML" display="inline" overflow="scroll"> <mml:mi mathvariant="script">PT</mml:mi> </mml:math> -symmetric effects could be useful to achieve an improvement in quantum thermodynamics protocols such as coherence protection and entropy production reduction.