澳大利亚昆士兰大学L. A. Williamson团队研究了横向场伊辛模型中的量子热机状态。该研究于2025年6月17日发表在《物理评论A》杂志上。

研究组以横向场伊辛模型为工作物质，识别并解释了可能的量子热机机制。一般来说，由于对系统中许多能级的依赖，理解多体量子系统中这种制度的出现颇具挑战性。通过考虑无穷小的工作行程，可以从系统的平衡性质来理解操作。结果发现，无穷小的工作冲程使热机和加速器都能运行，其输出和运行边界由系统的宏观特性，特别是净横向磁化来描述。 

在低温下，可以从系统中低能激发的行为来理解操作和性能的状态，而在高温下，自由能以逆温度的幂次膨胀来描述操作。当冷热储器之间的温差较大时，这种理解可以推广到更大的工作行程。对于温度接近的冷热储器，足够大的工作冲程可以实现冰箱和加热器模式。该结果和分析方法将有助于更广泛地理解量子多体热机的可能运行机制。

附：英文原文

Title: Quantum thermal machine regimes in the transverse-field Ising model

Author: Vishnu Muraleedharan Sajitha, Bodhaditya Santra, Matthew J. Davis, L. A. Williamson

Issue&Volume: 2025/06/17

Abstract: We identify and interpret the possible quantum thermal machine regimes with a transverse-field Ising model as the working substance. In general, understanding the emergence of such regimes in a many-body quantum system is challenging due to the dependence on the many energy levels in the system. By considering infinitesimal work strokes, we can understand the operation from equilibrium properties of the system. We find that infinitesimal work strokes enable both heat engine and accelerator operation, with the output and boundaries of operation described by macroscopic properties of the system, in particular, the net transverse magnetization. At low temperatures, the regimes of operation and performance can be understood from the behavior of low-energy excitations in the system, while at high temperatures an expansion of the free energy in powers of inverse temperature describes the operation. The understanding generalizes to larger work strokes when the temperature difference between the hot and cold reservoirs is large. For hot and cold reservoirs close in temperature, a sufficiently large work stroke can enable refrigerator and heater regimes. Our results and method of analysis will prove useful in understanding the possible regimes of operation of quantum many-body thermal machines more generally.

DOI: 10.1103/jthm-7c2j

Source: https://journals.aps.org/pra/abstract/10.1103/jthm-7c2j