Abstract
We calculate the efficiency of a quantum Carnot cycle for a particle confined in two different infinite potential wells, a cylindrical potential well of variable radius and a two-dimensional square potential well with a periodicity in one of it sides. We find that the efficiency depends directly on the dimensionality and geometry of the well that confined the particle.
Highlights
A classical heat engine is a device that extracts energy QH from a high temperature heat source, it generates work W with an amount of this energy and the rest is release into a low temperature drain
We consider a particle of mass m, confined by two different types of quantum potential wells: an infinite cylindrical potential well (CPW) of radius r, in this case the particle is confined in the space inside the CPW
The authors of Ref. 3 calculated the efficiency of a quantum Carnot cycle by using a single particle confined by a 1D infinite square potential well
Summary
A classical heat engine is a device that extracts energy QH from a high temperature heat source, it generates work W with an amount of this energy and the rest is release into a low temperature drain. It is well known that the heat engine reaches the highest possible efficiency following Carnot cycle model [1]. This cycle consists in a gas confined by a cylinder with a movable piston. Classical heat engines have been extensively studied, it is of interest to study the systems and processes that could increase their efficiency. With the developments of nanotechnology and quantum information processing, the study of quantum systems began to attract more attention.
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