[Faculty] [CSRC-SDSU COLLOQUIUM]: Heat Engines Working from a Quantized Cavity

[Jose Castillo]

DATE: Friday, August 16th, 2013

TITLE: Heat Engines Working from a  Quantized Cavity

TIME: 3:30 PM
LOCATION: GMCS 214

SPEAKER: Erez Boukobza.
Weizmann Institute.
Israel.

The Carnot limit, formulated in 1824, represents the maximal efficiency of
a classical heat engine. In this work we present a thermodynamical analysis
of a light amplifier based on a three-level atom coupled off-resonantly to
a single quantized cavity mode and to two heat reservoirs with positive
temperatures. Based on standard work and heat flow equilibrium, we show
that for a cavity blue detuned with respect to the atomic resonance, the
system can surpass the Carnot limit. Nevertheless, the second law of
thermodynamics is still obeyed, as the total entropy always increases. By
analyzing a semiclassical version of the model, we derive a formula for the
critical frequency for which the Carnot limit is broken, and a formula for
the amplifier efficiency which agrees with its quantum counterpart. In the
semiclassical regime, however, the second law is not satisfied and hence it
does not offer a physically acceptable description of the system. Finally,
we show that breaking the Carnot limit occurs also in a blue-detuned
quantum amplifier with output coupling, which represents a realistic model
of a laser/maser.

Host: Dr. Peter Salamon.

For future events, please visit our website at:

http://www.csrc.sdsu.edu/colloquium.html
 --
Eduardo J. Sanchez Peiro

http://www-rohan.sdsu.edu/~sanche94/



-- 

Jose E. Castillo  Ph.D.

Director / Professor

Computational Science Research Center

5500 Campanile Dr

San Diego State University

San Diego CA 92182-1245

619 5947205/3430, Fax 619-594-2459

 http://www.csrc.sdsu.edu/mimetic-book/

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