7 June 2022 Tue 10.20 am

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Synchronization as a non-equilibrium collective phenomenon has been shown to be helpful in enhancing the performance of classical nano engines. Meanwhile, synchronization has been extended to the quantum regime, but its application to quantum heat engines is still unknown. This defense talk will investigate the relationship between quantum synchronization and thermodynamics in a degenerate multi-level thermal maser. We will show that a new phenomenon of the interplay between entrainment and mutual coupling arises in this system. Furthermore, the interplay can be competitive or cooperative depending on the thermodynamic functionality of the maser, i.e. they compete when the system acts as an engine and cooperate when it acts as a refrigerator. This interplay affects the relation between synchronization and the maser’s thermodynamic performance. When entrainment is dominant, we found a violation of the power-synchronization bound due to competition with mutual coupling. Moreover, when the mutual coupling is dominant, we derive a novel bound relating synchronization to steady-state coherent heat current. This research sheds light on the role of synchronization in quantum heat engines operating out of equilibrium.  

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