Superradiant Quantum Heat Engine

TL;DR

This paper introduces a quantum heat engine utilizing superradiance, where quantum coherence acts as a catalyst, leading to quadratic enhancement in work output with the number of atoms, bridging quantum thermodynamics and practical engine design.

Contribution

It proposes a novel quantum heat engine model using superradiance with atomic clusters, demonstrating quadratic work scaling and highlighting quantum coherence as an effective catalyst.

Findings

Work output scales quadratically with the number of atoms.

Superradiance enhances the efficiency of quantum heat engines.

Quantum coherence can serve as a catalyst, not just a resource.

Abstract

Quantum physics revolutionized classical disciplines of mechanics, statistical physics, and electrodynamics. One branch of scientific knowledge however seems untouched: thermodynamics. Major motivation behind thermodynamics is to develop efficient heat engines. Technology has a trend to miniaturize engines, reaching to quantum regimes. Development of quantum heat engines (QHEs) requires emerging field of quantum thermodynamics. Studies of QHEs debate whether quantum coherence can be used as a resource. We explore an alternative where it can function as an effective catalyst. We propose a QHE which consists of a photon gas inside an optical cavity as the working fluid and quantum coherent atomic clusters as the fuel. Utilizing the superradiance, where a cluster can radiate quadratically faster than a single atom, we show that the work output becomes proportional to the square of the number of the atoms. In addition to practical value of cranking up QHE, our result is a fundamental difference of a quantum fuel from its classical counterpart.