# Energetic and entropic effects of bath-induced coherences

## TL;DR

This paper explores how bath-induced quantum coherences can significantly influence the energy and entropy of a system, with potential applications in quantum thermodynamics and energy systems.

## Contribution

It reveals the thermodynamic effects of bath-induced coherences in a simple two-level system, highlighting their potential to enhance or mitigate system-bath interactions.

## Key findings

- Bath-induced coherences can amplify system-bath interactions.
- These coherences can also mitigate the effects of the bath.
- Results are experimentally testable and relevant for quantum energy technologies.

## Abstract

The unavoidable interaction of a quantum system with its surrounding (bath) is not always detrimental for quantum properties. For instance, under some specific conditions (that we identify as indistinguishability), a many-body system can gain internal coherences thanks to the interaction with its bath. The most famous consequence of this phenomenon is superradiance. Beyond that, the thermodynamic effects on the system of these bath-induced coherences have been mostly unexplored. We show here, for a simple and common system (a pair of two-level systems), that the energetic and entropic impacts can indeed be dramatic and diverse, including amplification of the action of the bath but also its mitigation. Our results can be tested experimentally. They suggest that bath-induced coherences can be harnessed to enhance thermodynamic tasks, opening up interesting perspectives for thermal machines, quantum battery charging, natural or artificial energy harvesting systems, and state preparation and protection.