Overcoming the Quasi-Static Bottleneck: A Finite-Time Quantum Otto Information Engine Achieving Near-Unity Efficiency
Abstract
Generally, quantum heat engines driven by Gibbs reservoirs achieve their maximum work and efficiency only in quasi-static processes, a constraint that hampers practical applications due to the resulting vanishing power output. To address this fundamental limitation, we propose a finite-time quantum Otto information engine (OIE) driven by a Maxwell's demon paired with a single Gibbs reservoir. We demonstrate that the demon's measurement and feedback control can preserve quantum coherence to extract coherent work, while harnessing quantum internal friction as a work source. Consequently, the OIE can produce work by only modulating the eigenstates of the Hamiltonian, and surpass the quasi-static limits of its conventional counterpart in the work output and the efficiency, which accounts for the energetic cost of the demon. Notably, the OIE can achieve near-perfect efficiency alongside positive work extraction in the rapid-driving regime.
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BibTeX
@misc{xiao2026overcoming,
title = {{Overcoming the Quasi-Static Bottleneck: A Finite-Time Quantum Otto Information Engine Achieving Near-Unity Efficiency}},
author = {Yang Xiao and Jin Wang},
howpublished = {arXiv},
year = {2026},
month = sep,
doi = {10.48550/arxiv.2609.22821},
eprint = {2609.22821},
archivePrefix = {arXiv},
url = {https://arxiv.org/abs/2609.22821},
}
RIS
TY - UNPB
TI - Overcoming the Quasi-Static Bottleneck: A Finite-Time Quantum Otto Information Engine Achieving Near-Unity Efficiency
AU - Yang Xiao
AU - Jin Wang
PY - 2026
DA - 2026/09/19
PB - arXiv
DO - 10.48550/arxiv.2609.22821
UR - https://arxiv.org/abs/2609.22821
AB - Generally, quantum heat engines driven by Gibbs reservoirs achieve their maximum work and efficiency only in quasi-static processes, a constraint that hampers practical applications due to the resulting vanishing power output. To address this fundamental limitation, we propose a finite-time quantum Otto information engine (OIE) driven by a Maxwell's demon paired with a single Gibbs reservoir. We demonstrate that the demon's measurement and feedback control can preserve quantum coherence to extract coherent work, while harnessing quantum internal friction as a work source. Consequently, the OIE can produce work by only modulating the eigenstates of the Hamiltonian, and surpass the quasi-static limits of its conventional counterpart in the work output and the efficiency, which accounts for the energetic cost of the demon. Notably, the OIE can achieve near-perfect efficiency alongside positive work extraction in the rapid-driving regime.
ER -