Autonomous thermal machine for amplification and control of energetic coherence

TL;DR

This paper introduces an autonomous quantum thermal machine that uses thermal resources to manipulate and amplify local coherence in an external system, enabling energy-coherence interconversion under out-of-equilibrium conditions.

Contribution

It presents a novel model of a quantum thermal machine capable of coherently manipulating and amplifying local quantum coherence using only thermal baths.

Findings

The machine can amplify initial coherence in the external system.

It demonstrates interconversion between energy, work, heat, and coherence.

Operates effectively in out-of-equilibrium conditions.

Abstract

We present a model for an autonomous quantum thermal machine comprised of two qubits capable of manipulating and even amplifying the local coherence in a non-degenerate external system. The machine uses only thermal resources, namely, contact with two heat baths at different temperatures, and the external system has a non-zero initial amount of coherence. The method we propose allows for an interconversion between energy, both work and heat, and coherence in an autonomous configuration working in out-of-equilibrium conditions. This model raises interesting questions about the role of fundamental limitations on transformations involving coherence and opens up new possibilities in the manipulation of coherence by autonomous thermal machines.