Quantum Rotor Engines

TL;DR

This paper explores autonomous quantum engines utilizing a rotor to generate work, analyzing their thermodynamic performance, quantum-classical differences, and proposing classical analogs for a single-qubit piston engine.

Contribution

It introduces a model of autonomous quantum rotor engines, evaluates their work output, and compares quantum and classical descriptions for a single-qubit piston engine.

Findings

The rotor functions as both clock and work repository.

Quantum and classical models show subtle differences in engine dynamics.

Abstract

This chapter presents autonomous quantum engines that generate work in the form of directed motion for a rotor. We first formulate a prototypical clock-driven model in a time-dependent framework and demonstrate how it can be translated into an autonomous engine with the introduction of a planar rotor degree of freedom. The rotor plays both the roles of internal engine clock and of work repository. Using the example of a single-qubit piston engine, the thermodynamic performance is then reviewed. We evaluate the extractable work in terms of ergotropy, the kinetic energy associated to net directed rotation, as well as the intrinsic work based on the exerted torque under autonomous operation; and we compare them with the actual energy output to an external dissipative load. The chapter closes with a quantum-classical comparison of the engine's dynamics. For the single-qubit piston example, we propose two alternative representations of the qubit in an entirely classical framework: (i) a coin flip model and (ii) a classical magnet moment, showing subtle differences between the quantum and classical descriptions.