Spin Heat Engine Coupled to a Harmonic-Oscillator Flywheel

Von Lindenfels D, Graeb O, Schmiegelow CT, Kaushal , Schulz J, Mitchison MT, Goold J, Schmidt-Kaler F, Poschinger UG (2019)

Publication Type: Journal article

Publication year: 2019

Journal

Physical Review Letters American Physical Society

Book Volume: 123

Article Number: 080602

Journal Issue: 8

DOI: 10.1103/PhysRevLett.123.080602

Abstract

We realize a heat engine using a single-electron spin as a working medium. The spin pertains to the valence electron of a trapped Ca+40 ion, and heat reservoirs are emulated by controlling the spin polarization via optical pumping. The engine is coupled to the ion's harmonic-oscillator degree of freedom via spin-dependent optical forces. The oscillator stores the work produced by the heat engine and, therefore, acts as a flywheel. We characterize the state of the flywheel by reconstructing the Husimi Q function of the oscillator after different engine run times. This allows us to infer both the deposited energy and the corresponding fluctuations throughout the onset of operation, starting in the oscillator ground state. In order to understand the energetics of the flywheel, we determine its ergotropy, i.e., the maximum amount of work which can be further extracted from it. Our results demonstrate how the intrinsic fluctuations of a microscopic heat engine fundamentally limit performance.

Involved external institutions

Johannes Gutenberg-Universität Mainz (JGU) DE Germany (DE) Trinity College Dublin IE Ireland (IE)

How to cite

APA:

Von Lindenfels, D., Graeb, O., Schmiegelow, C.T., Kaushal, ., Schulz, J., Mitchison, M.T.,... Poschinger, U.G. (2019). Spin Heat Engine Coupled to a Harmonic-Oscillator Flywheel. Physical Review Letters, 123(8). https://dx.doi.org/10.1103/PhysRevLett.123.080602

MLA:

Von Lindenfels, D., et al. "Spin Heat Engine Coupled to a Harmonic-Oscillator Flywheel." Physical Review Letters 123.8 (2019).

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