Quantum Otto cycle in the Anderson impurity model

TL;DR

This paper investigates the thermodynamic performance of a quantum Otto cycle within the Anderson impurity model, highlighting how Coulomb interactions and system-reservoir coupling influence efficiency and operating regimes.

Contribution

It introduces a decomposition method for the generator of time evolution combined with HEOM to analyze quantum thermal machines in the Anderson model, considering interactions and coupling effects.

Findings

Coulomb interaction can alter the operating regimes of the quantum Otto cycle.

Strong system-reservoir coupling impacts the cycle's efficiency.

Energy level alignment affects the thermodynamic performance.

Abstract

We study the thermodynamic performance of a periodic quantum Otto cycle operating on the single-impurity Anderson model. Using a decomposition of the time-evolution generator based on the principle of minimal dissipation, combined with the numerically exact hierarchical equations of motion (HEOM) method, we analyze the operating regimes of the quantum thermal machine and investigate effects of Coulomb interactions, strong system-reservoir coupling, and energy level alignments. Our results show that Coulomb interaction can change the operating regimes and may lead to an enhancement of the efficiency.