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On the thermodynamics of the difference between energy transfer rate and heat engine efficiency

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Abstract

We study the difference between the energy transfer rate and the engine efficiency with a microscopic model, widely used in the theoretical description of solar cells, as well as in light-harvesting systems. We show no violation of the second law of thermodynamics by correctly assessing the useful output work, even with the simple model treating the later work conversion as a simple “sink”.

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Author information

Authors and Affiliations

  1. Graduate School of China Academy of Engineering Physics, No. 10 Xibeiwang East Road, Haidian District, Beijing, 100193, China

    H. Dong

  2. Department of Physics, Shanghai University, Baoshan District, Shanghai, 200444, China

    A. Ghosh

  3. Institute for Quantum Science and Engineering, Texas A&M University, College Station, TX, USA

    M. B. Kim, A. A. Svidzinsky, Z. Zhang & M. O. Scully

  4. Center for Quantum Technology Research, School of Physics, Beijing Institute of Technology, Beijing, 100081, China

    S.-W. Li

  5. Weizmann Institute of Science, 76100, Rehovot, Israel

    G. Kurizki

  6. Princeton University, Princeton, NJ, USA

    M. O. Scully

  7. Baylor University, Waco, TX, USA

    M. O. Scully

Authors
  1. H. Dong
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  2. A. Ghosh
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  3. M. B. Kim
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  4. S.-W. Li
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  5. A. A. Svidzinsky
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  6. Z. Zhang
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  7. G. Kurizki
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  8. M. O. Scully
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Corresponding author

Correspondence to M. O. Scully.

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Dong, H., Ghosh, A., Kim, M.B. et al. On the thermodynamics of the difference between energy transfer rate and heat engine efficiency. Eur. Phys. J. Spec. Top. 230, 867–871 (2021). https://doi.org/10.1140/epjs/s11734-021-00091-3

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1140/epjs/s11734-021-00091-3

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