Magnonic Otto thermal machine

Abstract

We propose a quasistatic magnon-based Otto thermal machine in two-dimensional (2D) magnetic insulators. The thermodynamical cycles are engineered by exposing a magnon spin system to thermal baths at different temperatures and tuning the Dzyaloshinskii-Moriya (DM) interaction. We find that a thermal gas of magnons converts a fraction of heat into energy in the form of work, where the efficiency is maximized for specific values of DM, reaching the corresponding Carnot efficiency. We witness a positive to negative net work transition during the cycle that marks the onset of a refrigeratorlike behavior. The work produced by the magnonic Otto engine enhances the magnon chemical potential. The last enables a spin accumulation that might result in the pumping of spin currents at the interfaces of metal-magnet heterostructures. Our work opens possibilities for the efficient leverage of conventional two-dimensional magnets. Published by the American Physical Society 2024