Steady-state entanglement production in a quantum thermal machine with continuous feedback control

Abstract

Abstract Quantum thermal machines can generate steady-state entanglement by harvesting spontaneous interactions with local environments. However, using minimal resources and control, the entanglement is typically weak. Here, we study entanglement generation in a two-qubit quantum thermal machine in the presence of a continuous feedback protocol. Each qubit is measured continuously and the outcomes are used for real-time feedback to control the local system-environment interactions. We show that there exists an ideal operation regime where the quality of entanglement is significantly improved, to the extent that it can violate standard Bell inequalities and uphold quantum teleportation. In agreement with (Khandelwal et al 2020 New J. Phys. 22 073039), we also find, for ideal operation, that the heat current across the system is proportional to the entanglement concurrence. Finally, we investigate the robustness of entanglement production when the machine operates away from the ideal conditions.