Nonlinear coherent heat machines and closed-system thermodynamics

TL;DR

This paper introduces a novel paradigm for heat machines as nonlinear coherent closed systems, enabling fully coherent operation and bridging quantum and thermodynamic descriptions.

Contribution

It proposes a new thermodynamic framework where heat machines are nonlinear coherent closed systems, contrasting with traditional dissipative open systems.

Findings

Heat machines can operate coherently as closed systems.

Nonlinear interactions transform thermal input into non-thermal output.

The approach bridges quantum coherence and thermodynamics.

Abstract

All existing heat machines are dissipative open systems. Hence, they cannot operate fully coherently. We propose to replace this conventional thermodynamic paradigm by a completely different one, whereby heat machines are nonlinear coherent closed systems comprised of few field modes. Their thermal-state input is transformed by nonlinear interactions into non-thermal output with controlled quantum fluctuations and the capacity to deliver work in a chosen mode. This new paradigm allows the bridging of quantum coherent and thermodynamic descriptions.