Quantum mechanics

Algorithm

Spin (aerodynamics)

Diabatic

Engineering

Philosophy

Embedded system

Eigenvalues and eigenvectors

Power (physics)

Computer science

A priori and a posteriori

Heat engine

Statistical physics

Mechanical engineering

Thermodynamics

Physics

Epistemology

Bottleneck

Quantum

Thermodynamic cycle

Adiabatic process

Topology (electrical circuits)

State (computer science)

Electrical engineering

Physical Review Research

Quantum heat engines are modeled by thermodynamic cycles with quantum-mechanical working media. Since high engine efficiencies require adiabaticity, a major challenge is to yield a nonvanishing power output at finite cycle times. Shortcuts to adiabaticity using counter-diabatic (CD) driving may serve as a means to speed up such, otherwise infinitely long, cycles. We introduce local approximate CD protocols for many-body spin quantum heat engines and show that this method improves the efficiency and power for finite cycle times considerably. The protocol does not require a priori knowledge of the system eigenstates and is thus realistic in experiments.

Many-body quantum heat engines with shortcuts to adiabaticity