Quantum-enhanced absorption refrigerators

TL;DR

This paper explores quantum absorption refrigerators, establishing thermodynamic bounds and demonstrating how quantum reservoir engineering can surpass classical efficiency limits for autonomous quantum cooling devices.

Contribution

It introduces thermodynamic performance bounds for quantum absorption refrigerators and shows how quantum reservoir engineering can enhance their efficiency beyond classical limits.

Findings

Quantum bounds on refrigerator performance established

Quantum reservoir engineering can surpass classical efficiency limits

Potential for autonomous quantum refrigeration technology

Abstract

Thermodynamics is a branch of science blessed by an unparalleled combination of generality of scope and formal simplicity. Based on few natural assumptions together with the four laws, it sets the boundaries between possible and impossible in macroscopic aggregates of matter. This triggered groundbreaking achievements in physics, chemistry and engineering over the last two centuries. Close analogues of those fundamental laws are now being established at the level of individual quantum systems, thus placing limits on the operation of quantum-mechanical devices. Here we study quantum absorption refrigerators, which are driven by heat rather than external work. We establish thermodynamic performance bounds for these machines and investigate their quantum origin. We also show how those bounds may be pushed beyond what is classically achievable, by suitably tailoring the environmental fluctuations via quantum reservoir engineering techniques. Such superefficient quantum-enhanced cooling realises a promising step towards the technological exploitation of autonomous quantum refrigerators.