Work and heat for two-level systems in dissipative environments: Strong driving and non-Markovian dynamics

TL;DR

This paper investigates work, heat flux, and non-Markovian effects in a strongly driven two-level quantum system coupled to a bosonic bath, highlighting the limitations of weak coupling approximations and the influence of initial correlations.

Contribution

It provides exact analysis of work and heat in non-perturbative regimes, emphasizing the role of system-bath correlations and non-Markovian dynamics in quantum thermodynamics.

Findings

Exact data reveal deviations from weak coupling predictions.

Initial system-bath correlations significantly affect heat flux.

Non-Markovian effects are crucial in strong driving regimes.

Abstract

Work, moments of work and heat flux are studied for the generic case of a strongly driven twolevel system immersed in a bosonic heat bath in domains of parameter space where perturbative treatments fail. This includes particularly the interplay between non-Markovian dynamics and moderate to strong external driving. Exact data are compared with predictions from weak coupling approaches. Further, the role of system-bath correlations in the initial thermal state and their impact on the heat flux are addressed. The relevance of these results for current experimental activities on solid state devices is discussed.