Quantum refrigerator in the quest for the absolute zero temperature

Yair Rezek; Ronnie Kosloff

doi:10.1117/12.761008

4 February 2008 Quantum refrigerator in the quest for the absolute zero temperature

Yair Rezek, Ronnie Kosloff

Proceedings Volume 6907, Laser Refrigeration of Solids; 69070F (2008) https://doi.org/10.1117/12.761008
Event: Integrated Optoelectronic Devices 2008, 2008, San Jose, California, United States

Abstract

One of the formulations of the third laws of thermodynamics is that a processes become more isentropic as one approaches the absolute zero temperatures. We examine this prediction by studying an operating model of a quantum refrigerator pumping heat from a cold to a hot reservoir. The working medium consists of a gas of noninteracting harmonic oscillators. The model can be solved in closed form in the quasi-static limit or numerically for general conditions. It is found that the isentropic limit for T_c → 0 is approached only on the expansion segment of the refrigeration cycle. The scaling of the cooling rate with temperature is shown to be consistent with the second law of thermodynamics. This scaling is also consistent with the unattainability principle which is an alternative formulation of the third law of thermodynamics.

Citation Download Citation

Yair Rezek and Ronnie Kosloff "Quantum refrigerator in the quest for the absolute zero temperature", Proc. SPIE 6907, Laser Refrigeration of Solids, 69070F (4 February 2008); https://doi.org/10.1117/12.761008

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