No Arabic abstract
We consider a quantum battery modeled as a set of N independent two-level quantum systems driven by a time dependent classical source. Different figures of merit, such as stored energy, time of charging and energy quantum fluctuations during the charging process, are characterized in a wide range of parameters, by means of numerical approach and suitable analytical approximation scheme. Particular emphasis is put on the role of different initial conditions, describing the preparation state of the quantum battery, as well as on the sensitivity to the functional form of the external time-dependent drive. It is shown that an optimal charging protocol, characterized by fast charging time and the absence of charging fluctuations, can be achieved starting from the ground state of each two-level system, while other pure preparation states are less efficient. Moreover, we argue that a periodic train of peaked rectangular pulses can lead to fast charging. This study aims at providing a useful theoretical background in view of future experimental solid-state implementations.
We consider a collection of two level systems, such as qubits, embedded into a microwave cavity as a promising candidate for the realization of high power quantum batteries. In this perspective, the possibility to design devices where the conventional single-photon coupling is suppressed and the dominant interaction is mediated by two-photon processes is investigated, opening the way to an even further enhancement of the charging performance. By solving a Dicke model with both single- and two-photon coupling we determine the range of parameters where the latter unconventional interaction dominates the dynamics of the system leading to better performances both in the charging times and average charging power of the QB compared to the single-photon case. In addition, the scaling of the maximum stored energy, fluctuations and charging power with the finite number of qubits N is inspected. While the energy and fluctuations scale linearly with N, the quadratic growth of the average power leads to a relevant improvement of the charging performance of quantum batteries based on this scheme with respect to the purely single-photon coupling case. Moreover, it is shown that the charging process is progressively faster by increasing the coupling from the weak to the ultra-strong regime.
Quantum information theorems state that it is possible to exploit collective quantum resources to greatly enhance the charging power of quantum batteries (QBs) made of many identical elementary units. We here present and solve a model of a QB that can be engineered in solid-state architectures. It consists of $N$ two-level systems coupled to a single photonic mode in a cavity. We contrast this collective model (Dicke QB), whereby entanglement is genuinely created by the common photonic mode, to the one in which each two-level system is coupled to its own separate cavity mode (Rabi QB). By employing exact diagonalization, we demonstrate the emergence of a quantum advantage in the charging power of Dicke QBs, which scales like $sqrt{N}$ for $Ngg 1$.
Coupling with an external environment inevitably affects the dynamics of a quantum system. Here, we consider how charging performances of a quantum battery, modelled as a two level system, are influenced by the presence of an Ohmic thermal reservoir. The latter is coupled to both longitudinal and transverse spin components of the quantum battery including decoherence and pure dephasing mechanisms. Charging and discharging dynamics of the quantum battery, subjected to a static driving, are obtained exploiting a proper mapping into the so-called spin-boson model. Analytic expressions for the time evolution of the energy stored in the weak coupling regime are presented relying on a systematic weak damping expansion. Here, decoherence and pure dephasing dissipative coupling are discussed in details. We argue that the former results in better charging performances, showing also interesting features reminiscent of the Lamb shift level splitting renormalization induced by the presence of the reservoir. Charging stability is also addressed, by monitoring the energy behaviour after the charging protocol has been switched off. This study presents a general framework to investigate relaxation effects, able to include also non Markovian effects, and it reveals the importance of controlling and, possibly, engineering system-bath coupling in the realization of quantum batteries.
We consider a quantum battery that is based on a two-level system coupled with a cavity radiation by means of a two-photon interaction. Various figures of merit, such as stored energy, average charging power, energy fluctuations, and extractable work are investigated, considering, as possible initial conditions for the cavity, a Fock state, a coherent state, and a squeezed state. We show that the first state leads to better performances for the battery. However, a coherent state with the same average number of photons, even if it is affected by stronger fluctuations in the stored energy, results in quite interesting performance, in particular since it allows for almost completely extracting the stored energy as usable work at short enough times.
One of the most fundamental tasks in quantum thermodynamics is extracting energy from one system and subsequently storing this energy in an appropriate battery. Both of these steps, work extraction and charging, can be viewed as cyclic Hamiltonian processes acting on individual quantum systems. Interestingly, so-called passive states exist, whose energy cannot be lowered by unitary operations, but it is safe to assume that the energy of any not fully charged battery may be increased unitarily. However, unitaries raising the average energy by the same amount may differ in qualities such as their precision, fluctuations, and charging power. Moreover, some unitaries may be extremely difficult to realize in practice. It is hence of crucial importance to understand the qualities that can be expected from practically implementable transformations. Here, we consider the limitations on charging batteries when restricting to the feasibly realizable family of Gaussian unitaries. We derive optimal protocols for general unitary operations as well as for the restriction to easier implementable Gaussian unitaries. We find that practical Gaussian battery charging, while performing significantly less well than is possible in principle, still offers asymptotically vanishing relative charge variances and fluctuations.