Quantum engines with interacting Bose-Einstein condensates

TL;DR

This paper investigates a quantum Otto cycle using an interacting Bose-Einstein condensate, analyzing how interactions and system parameters affect efficiency and power output.

Contribution

It introduces a novel simulation procedure combining Gross-Pitaevskii and stochastic Ginzburg-Landau equations for the cycle's evolution.

Findings

Efficiency decreases with stronger interactions.

Faster cycles are enabled by stronger interactions.

Power output increases with interaction strength.

Abstract

We consider a quantum Otto cycle with an interacting Bose-Einstein condensate at finite temperature. We present a procedure to evolve this system in time in three spatial dimensions, in which closed (adiabatic) strokes are described by the Gross-Pitaevskii equation, and open (isochoric) strokes are modeled using a stochastic Ginzburg-Landau equation. We analyze the effect on the thermodynamic efficiency of the strength of interactions, the frequency of the harmonic trap, and the temperatures of the reservoirs. The efficiency has little sensitivity to changes in the temperatures, but decreases as interactions increase. However, stronger interactions allow for faster cycles and for substantial increases in power.