Quantum thermal machines at strong coupling

IQC Colloquium - Dvira Segal, University of Toronto

Rethinking the operation principles of thermal machines in the nanoscale and quantum domain, we focus on a continuous machine operating in steady state, the quantum absorption refrigerator (QAR), and examine three key questions: (i) How does the strong system-bath interaction affect the device's operation? (ii) What can we learn about the machine from current noise? (iii) What is the impact of coherences within the working fluid on the performance of the quantum machine? In this talk, I will focus on the first question of strong coupling and present our recent Effective Hamiltonian theoretical framework [1]. Itallows analytical treatment of quantum systems at strong coupling with their surroundings, thus bringing fundamental understanding of the impact of strong system-bath coupling effects on open quantum system phenomena. Using this powerful approach, we predict the reshaping of the cooling window of QARs under strong coupling.  

[1] Effective Hamiltonian theory of open quantum systems at strong coupling, 

N. Anto-Sztrikacs, A. Nazir, and D. Segal, 

arXiv:2211.05701, PRX Quantum, in press.

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