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Quantum absorption refrigerator with trapped ions

G. Maslennikov, Shi-Qian Ding, Roland Hablützel, Jaren Gan, Alexandre Roulet, S. Nimmrichter, Jibo Dai, V. Scarani et al.

Nature Communications, 2017

270 citations

Abstract

In recent years substantial efforts have been expended in extending thermodynamics to single quantum systems. Quantum effects have emerged as a resource that can improve the performance of heat machines. However in the fully quantum regime their implementation still remains a challenge. Here, we report an experimental realization of a quantum absorption refrigerator in a system of three trapped ions, with three of its normal modes of motion coupled by a trilinear Hamiltonian such that heat transfer between two modes refrigerates the third. We investigate the dynamics and steady-state properties of the refrigerator and compare its cooling capability when only thermal states are involved to the case when squeezing is employed as a quantum resource. We also study the performance of such a refrigerator in the single shot regime made possible by coherence and demonstrate cooling below both the steady-state energy and a benchmark set by classical thermodynamics. Studying quantum heat machines would extend our fundamental understanding of thermodynamics. Here, the authors report on absorption refrigeration within three normal modes of motion of a three-ion chain, studying performances using either thermal or squeezed states, also in the single-shot regime.

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