Thermal divergences of quantum measurement engine

Abstract

A quantum engine fueled by quantum measurement is proposed. Under the finite-time unitary transformation, the conversion of heat to work is realized without the compression and expansion of the resonance frequency. The work output, quantum heat, and efficiency are derived, highlighting the important role of the thermal divergence recently reappearing in open quantum systems. The key problem of how the measurement basis can be optimized to enhance the performance is solved by connecting the thermal divergence to the nonequilibrium free energy and entropy. The spin-engine architecture offers a comprehensive platform for future investigations of extracting work from quantum measurement.