Quantum thermodynamics with fast driving and strong coupling via the mesoscopic leads approach

Understanding the thermodynamics of driven quantum systems strongly coupled to thermal baths is a central focus of quantum thermodynamics and mesoscopic physics. A variety of different methodological approaches exist in the literature, all with their own advantages and disadvantages. The mesoscopic leads approach was recently generalized to steady-state thermal machines and has the ability to replicate Landauer-Buttiker theory in the noninteracting limit. In this approach a set of discretized lead modes, each locally damped, provide a Markovian embedding for the baths. In this work we further generalize this approach to incorporate an arbitrary time dependence in the system Hamiltonian. Following a careful discussion of the calculation of thermodynamic quantities we illustrate the power of our approach by studying several driven mesoscopic examples coupled to finite-temperature fermionic baths, replicating known results in various limits. In the case of a driven noninteracting quantum dot we show how fast driving can be used to induce heat rectification.

Automated summary

Understanding the thermodynamics of driven quantum systems strongly coupled to thermal baths is a central focus of quantum thermodynamics and mesoscopic physics. A variety of different methodological approaches exist in the literature, all with their own advantages and disadvantages. In this work, the authors generalize the mesoscopic leads approach to incorporate an arbitrary time dependence in the system Hamiltonian.