Quantum thermodynamics of periodically driven polaritonic systems

TL;DR

This paper explores the quantum thermodynamics of periodically driven polaritonic systems, deriving a master equation, analyzing energy redistribution, and identifying conditions for maximum efficiency at resonance.

Contribution

It introduces a quantum master equation approach for driven polaritonic systems and analyzes their thermodynamic efficiency and heat rates at resonance.

Findings

Maximum efficiency occurs at resonance.

The derived master equation accurately predicts stationary states.

Irreversible heat rate aligns with thermodynamic laws.

Abstract

We investigate the energy distribution and quantum thermodynamics in periodically driven polaritonic systems in the stationary state at room temperature. Specifically, we consider an exciton strongly coupled to a harmonic oscillator and quantify the energy reorganization between these two systems and their interaction as a function of coupling strength, driving force, and detuning. After deriving the quantum master equation for the polariton density matrix with weak environment interactions, we obtain the dissipative time propagator and the long-time evolution of an equilibrium initial state. This approach provides direct access to the stationary state and overcomes the difficulties found in the numerical evolution of weakly damped quantum systems near resonance, also providing maps on the polariton lineshape. Then, we compute the thermodynamic performance during harmonic modulation and demonstrate that maximum efficiency occurs at resonance. We also provide an expression for the irreversible heat rate and numerically demonstrate that this agrees with the thermodynamic laws.