Quantum thermodynamics: a modified otto engine

Abstract

Quantum thermodynamics is an emerging area that arouses the interest of many scientists and engineers. Although it is a new and incomplete theory, it comes with surprising results. We propose to study a quantum engine that utilizes thermal reservoirs as baths but an unusual system as working fluid, a squeezed harmonic oscillator. The fluid was chosen as an educated guess to study if an engine working solely with a quantum resource could surpass Carnot’s limit. The problem was solved analytically and then simulated using the qutip library to python, we showed that this engine is capable of working in Carnot’s regime. Furthermore, we calculated the Shortcut to adiabaticity to the evolving hamiltonian so we could improve the system’s power without losing efficiency. This kind of machine serves the purpose of showing that one cannot surpass Carnot’s limit if one is using thermal reservoirs.