Quantum Otto cycle in a superconducting cavity in the nonadiabatic regime

NICOLAS DEL GROSSO; FERNANDO C LOMBARDO; FRANCISCO D MAZZITELLI; PAULA I. VILLAR

PHYSICAL REVIEW A - ATOMIC, MOLECULAR AND OPTICAL PHYSICS

AMER PHYSICAL SOC

Lugar: New York; Año: 2022 vol. 105 p. 222021 - 2220210

1050-2947

We analyze the efficiency of the quantum Otto cycle applied to a superconducting cavity. We consider itsdescription in terms of a full quantum scalar field in a one-dimensional cavity with a time-dependent boundarycondition that can be externally controlled to perform and extract work unitarily from the system. We studythe performance of this machine when acting as a heat engine as well as a refrigerator. It is shown that, in anonadiabatic regime, the efficiency of the quantum cycle is affected by the dynamical Casimir effect that inducesa sort of quantum friction that diminishes the efficiency. We also find regions of parameters where the effect is sostrong that the machine can no longer function as an engine since the work that would be produced is completelyconsumed by the quantum friction. However, this effect can be avoided for some particular temporal evolutionsof the boundary conditions that do not change the occupation number of the modes in the cavity, leading to ahighly improved efficiency.