Markovian master equations for quantum thermal machines: local versus global approach

DOI10.1088/1367-2630/AA964FarXiv1707.09211OpenAlexW3104751867WikidataQ57085755 ScholiaQ57085755MaRDI QIDQ6204471FDOQ6204471

Author name not available (Why is that?), Nicolas Brunner, Marti Perarnau-Llobet, Patrick P. Hofer, Géraldine Haack, Jonatan Bohr Brask, Ralph S. Silva

Publication date: 28 March 2024

Published in: New Journal of Physics (Search for Journal in Brave)

Abstract: The study of quantum thermal machines, and more generally of open quantum systems, often relies on master equations. Two approaches are mainly followed. On the one hand, there is the widely used, but often criticized, local approach, where machine sub-systems locally couple to thermal baths. On the other hand, in the more established global approach, thermal baths couple to global degrees of freedom of the machine. There has been debate as to which of these two conceptually different approaches should be used in situations out of thermal equilibrium. Here we compare the local and global approaches against an exact solution for a particular class of thermal machines. We consider thermodynamically relevant observables, such as heat currents, as well as the quantum state of the machine. Our results show that the use of a local master equation is generally well justified. In particular, for weak inter-system coupling, the local approach agrees with the exact solution, whereas the global approach fails for non-equilibrium situations. For intermediate coupling, the local and the global approach both agree with the exact solution and for strong coupling, the global approach is preferable. These results are backed by detailed derivations of the regimes of validity for the respective approaches.

Full work available at URL: https://arxiv.org/abs/1707.09211

Mathematics Subject Classification ID

Statistical mechanics, structure of matter (82-XX) Quantum theory (81-XX) Relativity and gravitational theory (83-XX)

Cites Work

• Title not available (Why is that?)
• Title not available (Why is that?)
• On the generators of quantum dynamical semigroups
• Completely positive dynamical semigroups of N-level systems
• Quantum adiabatic Markovian master equations
• Markovian master equations
• INTRODUCTION TO THE BASICS OF ENTANGLEMENT THEORY IN CONTINUOUS-VARIABLE SYSTEMS
• Open quantum systems. An introduction.
• Properties of quantum Markovian master equations
• Fundamental aspects of steady-state conversion of heat to work at the nanoscale
• Markovian master equations. II
• Cavity losses for the dissipative Jaynes–Cummings Hamiltonian beyond rotating wave approximation
• Markovian master equations: a critical study
• Quantum thermodynamics: a dynamical viewpoint
• The role of quantum information in thermodynamics—a topical review
• Autonomous quantum thermal machine for generating steady-state entanglement
• Thermodynamic deficiencies of some simple Lindblad operators

Cited In (9)

• Unification of the first law of quantum thermodynamics
• Thermodynamics and performance optimization of an open quantum engine
• Non-Markovian dynamics of macroscopic quantum systems in interaction with non-equilibrium environments
• Probing the dynamics of an open quantum system via a single qubit
• Higher-order corrections to the Redfield equation with respect to the system-bath coupling based on the hierarchical equations of motion
• Quantum engines and refrigerators
• Dynamics of reservoir observables within the Zwanzig projection operator method in the theory of open quantum systems
• Spectral and steady-state properties of random Liouvillians
• Non-additive dissipation in open quantum networks out of equilibrium

This page was built for publication: Markovian master equations for quantum thermal machines: local versus global approach

Report a bug (only for logged in users!)Click here to report a bug for this page (MaRDI item Q6204471)