Entropy | Best Contribution Award for 2021 International Workshop “Open Quantum Dynamics and Thermodynamics”—Winner announced

We are pleased to announce that the Best Contribution Award sponsored by Entropy for 2021 International Workshop Open Quantum Dynamics and Thermodynamics was granted to Dr. Martí Perarnau-Llobet at University of Geneva. Congratulations!

“Optimal Finite-Time Carnot Cycle” by Marti Perarnau-Llobet

We considered the optimization of a finite-time Carnot engine characterized by small dissipations. We bound the power with a simple inequality and showed that the optimal strategy is to perform small cycles around a given working point, which can be thus chosen optimally. Remarkably, this optimal point is independent of the figure of merit combining power and efficiency that is being maximized. Furthermore, for a general class of dynamics, the power output becomes proportional to the heat capacity of the working substance. Since the heat capacity can scale supra-extensively with the number of constituents of the engine, this enables us to design optimal many-body Carnot engines, reaching maximum efficiency at finite power per constituent in the thermodynamic limit.