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Spin-chain based quantum thermal machines
by Edoardo Maria Centamori, Michele Campisi, Vittorio Giovannetti
This Submission thread is now published as
Submission summary
| Authors (as registered SciPost users): | Michele Campisi · Vittorio Giovannetti |
| Submission information | |
|---|---|
| Preprint Link: | scipost_202403_00002v2 (pdf) |
| Date accepted: | April 28, 2025 |
| Date submitted: | April 15, 2025, 12:28 p.m. |
| Submitted by: | Giovannetti, Vittorio |
| Submitted to: | SciPost Physics |
| Ontological classification | |
|---|---|
| Academic field: | Physics |
| Specialties: |
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| Approach: | Theoretical |
Abstract
We study the performance of quantum thermal machines in which the working fluid of the model is represented by a many-body quantum system that is periodically connected with external baths via local couplings. A formal characterization of the limit cycles of the set-up is presented in terms of the mixing properties of the quantum channel that describes the evolution of the fluid over a thermodynamic cycle. For the special case in which the system is a collection of spin 1/2 particles coupled via magnetization preserving Hamiltonians, a full characterization of the possible operational regimes (i.e., thermal engine, refrigerator, heater and thermal accelerator) is provided: in this context we show in fact that the different regimes only depend upon a limited number of parameters (essentially the ratios of the energy gaps associated with the local Hamiltonians of the parts of the network which are in direct thermal contact with the baths).
Author indications on fulfilling journal expectations
- Provide a novel and synergetic link between different research areas.
- Open a new pathway in an existing or a new research direction, with clear potential for multi-pronged follow-up work
- Detail a groundbreaking theoretical/experimental/computational discovery
- Present a breakthrough on a previously-identified and long-standing research stumbling block
Author comments upon resubmission
Dear Editor, We would like to thank you and the referees for reviewing our work titled: Spin-chain based quantum thermal machines Both referee recommend publication, and referee 1 had a few final remarks which we addressed in our replies below and in the text. We think that this new version now meets the publication criteria of SciPost and hope to see our work soon disseminated through it. Sincerely, Vittorio Giovannetti and Michele Campisi
Anonymous Report 2 on 2024-4-3 (Invited Report) Report I am happy with the changes made by the authors. I recommend publication in SciPost physics if the changes below are addressed. Requested changes 1. It occurred to me on a second reading that, although the validity of Eq 49 for larger spin chains is asserted, no explicit numerical evidence for this is given. Could this be included? (For example, one could plot Qh and Qc as a function of tau for different temperatures and show that the curves are universal when divided by g (Eq 50).) 2. It may be good to state the values of tau used for Fig 2, for reproducibility. 3. There are some other works on spin chain engines that the authors may wish to reference, for example Phys. Rev. Research 2, 043247 (2020), Phys. Rev. E 102, 012138 (2020), Phys. Rev. Research 2, 023145 (2020), Phys. Rev. B 109, 024310 (2024). REPLY: 1. Following the referee’s suggestion we added a plot of $Q_C/g E_N$ for a 4 spin chain. The plots shows that clearly there is no dependence on $\beta_1$. The same identical plot results when plotting vs $\beta_2$ at fixed $\beta_1$. Since Q_C/E_N=-Q_H/E_1, the same holds for Q_H/g E_1 as well, so there is no need to add these extra plots. 2. We added the value of $\tau$ used for figure 2 3. We thank the referee for pointing those references, which now have been added to the manuscript.
List of changes
2. We added the value of $\tau$ used for figure 2
3. The references Phys. Rev. Research 2, 043247 (2020), Phys. Rev. E 102, 012138 (2020), Phys. Rev. Research 2, 023145 (2020), Phys. Rev. B 109, 024310 (2024) have been added to the manuscript.
Published as SciPost Phys. 18, 160 (2025)