Single-Atom Heat Machines Enabled by Energy Quantization
Author(s)
Gelbwaser-Klimovsky, David; Bylinskii, Alexei; Gangloff, Dorian; Islam, Rajibul; Aspuru-Guzik, Alán; Vuletic, Vladan; ... Show more Show less
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Quantization of energy is a quintessential characteristic of quantum systems. Here we analyze its effects on the operation of Otto cycle heat machines and show that energy quantization alone may alter and increase machine performance in terms of output work, efficiency, and even operation mode. We show that this difference in performance occurs in machines with inhomogeneous energy level scaling, while quantum machines with homogeneous level scaling behave like classical machines. Our results demonstrate that quantum thermodynamics enables the realization of classically inconceivable Otto machines, such as those with an incompressible working substance. We propose to measure these effects experimentally using a laser-cooled trapped ion as a microscopic heat machine.
Date issued
2018-04Department
Massachusetts Institute of Technology. Department of Physics; Massachusetts Institute of Technology. Research Laboratory of ElectronicsJournal
Physical Review Letters
Publisher
American Physical Society
Citation
Gelbwaser-Klimovsky, David et al. "Single-Atom Heat Machines Enabled by Energy Quantization." Physical Review Letters 120, 17 (April 2018): 170601 © 2018 American Physical Society
Version: Final published version
ISSN
0031-9007
1079-7114