Quantum thermodynamics in Gdańsk and catalytic enhancement in thermal machines

Abstract

We first briefly overview the quantum thermodynamics in Gdańsk (MH). In particular we present some advances in numerical simulations of open systems (GS). Next we present results on catalytic enhancement in thermal machines (MŁ). We demonstrate how the concept of a catalyst can be incorporated to enhance the performance of thermal machines. Here, the catalyst corresponds to a d-dimensional (possibly) degenerate quantum system that is restored at the end of each thermodynamic cycle. Specifically, within the model of two-stroke heat engines, we show that the optimal Otto efficiency  1-omega_c/omega_h can be extended to the generalized formula 1 - omega_c/ (d omega_h).  This approach generalizes to other modes of operation, such as cooling processes or machines operating continuously (rather than in discrete strokes). An important practical application of this catalysis is in enhancing the qubit resetting process for quantum computing tasks, where it boosts qubit cooling without heating the catalyst during the protocol.

based on 

Tanmoy Biswas, Marcin Łobejko, Paweł Mazurek, and Michał Horodecki,

Catalytic advantage in Otto-like two-stroke quantum engines

Phys. Rev. Lett. 132, 260403(2024)

and 

Tanmoy Biswas, Marcin Łobejko, Paweł Mazurek, and Michał Horodecki,

Catalytic enhancement in the performance of the microscopic two-stroke heat engine

Phys. Rev. E 110, 044120 (2024)