An out-of-equilibrium non-Markovian Quantum Heat Engine

TL;DR

This paper investigates how non-Markovian dynamics influence the efficiency of a quantum Otto engine with finite reservoirs, revealing effects of finite-time evolution and system memory on performance.

Contribution

It introduces a detailed analysis of a quantum Otto cycle with non-Markovian effects, highlighting the impact of finite-time and memory effects on engine efficiency.

Findings

Efficiency never exceeds classical finite-time bounds

Non-Markovianity affects engine performance

Finite evolution time influences thermodynamic behavior

Abstract

We study the performance of a quantum Otto cycle using a harmonic work medium and undergoing collisional dynamics with finite-size reservoirs. We span the dynamical regimes of the work strokes from strongly non-adiabatic to quasi-static conditions, and address the effects that non-Markovianity of the open-system dynamics of the work medium can have on the efficiency of the thermal machine. While such efficiency never surpasses the classical upper bound valid for finite-time stochastic engines, the behaviour of the engine shows clear-cut effects induced by both the finiteness of the evolution time, and the memory-bearing character of the system-environment evolution.