Quantum thermodynamics of the resonant-level model with driven system-bath coupling

TL;DR

This paper investigates the nonequilibrium thermodynamics of a driven fermionic resonant level model with time-dependent system energy and coupling, demonstrating consistent thermodynamic laws up to second order in drive speed.

Contribution

It extends previous models by including time-dependent coupling strength and energy, providing a framework that satisfies thermodynamic laws in nonequilibrium conditions.

Findings

Thermodynamic laws hold up to second order in drive speed.

Observables connect smoothly to equilibrium results.

Consistent definitions of energy, work, heat, and entropy are established.

Abstract

We study nonequilibrium thermodynamics in a fermionic resonant level model with arbitrary coupling strength to a fermionic bath, taking the wide-band limit. In contrast to previous theories, we consider a system where both the level energy and the coupling strength depend explicitly on time. We find that, even in this generalized model, consistent thermodynamic laws can be obtained, up to the second order in the drive speed, by splitting the coupling energy symmetrically between system and bath. We define observables for the system energy, work, heat, and entropy, and calculate them using nonequilibrium Green's functions. We find that the observables fulfill the laws of thermodynamics, and connect smoothly to the known equilibrium results.