Suppressing coherence effects in quantum-measurement-based engines
Zhiyuan Lin, Shanhe Su, Jingyi Chen, Jincan Chen, Jonas F. G. Santos
Abstract
Recent advances in the study of thermodynamics of microscopic processes have driven the search for new developments in energy converters utilizing quantum effects. Here we propose a modified Otto cycle to design an engine fueled by quantum projective measurements. Standard quantum thermal machines operating in a finite-time regime with a driven Hamiltonian that does not commute at different times have their performance decreased by the presence of coherence, which is associated with a larger entropy production and irreversibility degree. However, we show that replacing the standard hot thermal reservoir by a projective measurement operation with a general basis in the Bloch sphere and controlling the basis angles suitably could improve the performance of the quantum engine as well as decrease the entropy change during the measurement process. Our results follow a generalization of quantum thermal machine models where the fuel comes from general sources beyond the standard thermal reservoir.