Yi Juyeon, Talkner Peter, Kim Yong Woon
Department of Physics, Pusan National University, Busan 46241, South Korea.
Institut für Physik, Universität Augsburg, Universitätsstraße 1, 86159 Augsburg, Germany.
Phys Rev E. 2017 Aug;96(2-1):022108. doi: 10.1103/PhysRevE.96.022108. Epub 2017 Aug 4.
A cyclically working quantum-mechanical engine that operates at a single temperature is proposed. Its energy input is delivered by a quantum measurement. The functioning of the engine does not require any feedback control. We analyze work, heat, and the efficiency of the engine for the case of a working substance that is governed by the laws of quantum mechanics and that can be adiabatically compressed and expanded. The obtained general expressions are exemplified for a spin in an adiabatically changing magnetic field and a particle moving in a potential with slowly changing shape.