Work output and efficiency of a reversible quantum Otto cycle

Abstract

An idealized reversible Otto cycle working with a single quantum mechanical particle contained in a potential well is investigated based on the Schrödinger equation in this paper. The model of a reversible quantum Otto cycle, which consists of two reversible adiabatic and two constant-well widen branches, is established. As an example, we calculate a particularly simple case in which only two of the eigenstates of the potential well contribute to the wave-function in the well. The relationship between the optimal dimensionless work output W vs. the efficiency h for the two-eigenstate system is derived. The efficiency of this quantum cycle is shown to equal that of a classical reversible Otto cycle because quantum dynamics is reversible.

Keywords

Dates

  • Submission Date2009-11-11
  • Revision Date2009-12-12
  • Acceptance Date2010-02-18

DOI Reference

10.2298/TSCI1004879W

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