Abstract
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.
- Received 21 June 2017
- Revised 22 February 2018
- Corrected 25 May 2018
DOI:https://doi.org/10.1103/PhysRevLett.120.170601
© 2018 American Physical Society
Physics Subject Headings (PhySH)
Corrections
25 May 2018
Correction: The author list in Ref. [1] has been corrected.