Jove
Visualize
Contact Us
JoVE
x logofacebook logolinkedin logoyoutube logo
ABOUT JoVE
OverviewLeadershipBlogJoVE Help Center
AUTHORS
Publishing ProcessEditorial BoardScope & PoliciesPeer ReviewFAQSubmit
LIBRARIANS
TestimonialsSubscriptionsAccessResourcesLibrary Advisory BoardFAQ
RESEARCH
JoVE JournalMethods CollectionsJoVE Encyclopedia of ExperimentsArchive
EDUCATION
JoVE CoreJoVE BusinessJoVE Science EducationJoVE Lab ManualFaculty Resource CenterFaculty Site
Terms & Conditions of Use
Privacy Policy
Policies

Related Concept Videos

The Carnot Cycle01:30

The Carnot Cycle

Converting work to heat is an irreversible process, and the purpose of a heat engine is to reverse the effect partially. Heat engines aim to increase the efficiency of the reversal, that is, maximize the work retrieved from heat. If the efficiency of a heat engine were 100%, it would imply reversing the process completely without introducing any other effect. Thus, it would violate the second law of thermodynamics.
What could be the theoretical limit to the efficiency of a heat engine? The...
Heat Engines01:10

Heat Engines

A heat engine is a device used to extract heat from a source and then convert it into mechanical work used for various applications. For example, a steam engine on an old-style train can produce the work needed for driving the train.
Whenever we consider heat engines (and associated devices such as refrigerators and heat pumps), we do not use the standard sign convention for heat and work. For convenience, we assume that the symbols Qh, Qc, and W represent only the amounts of heat transferred...
Carnot Cycle and Efficiency01:26

Carnot Cycle and Efficiency

The Second Law of Thermodynamics asserts that it's impossible for any heat engine to achieve 100% efficiency. While contemplating the maximum possible efficiency, Nicolas Sadi Carnot conceptualized an ideal heat engine. This engine gets its energy from a high-temperature reservoir. It then performs some work and releases the remaining energy into a low-temperature reservoir.The Carnot cycle, named after Sadi Carnot, is fully reversible. The cycle consists of four distinct stages. In the first...
Maximum Power Transfer01:16

Maximum Power Transfer

Numerous practical applications within engineering disciplines, such as telecommunications, necessitate optimizing power delivery to a connected load. This pursuit, however, entails inherent internal losses, which can either equal or exceed the power supplied to the load. The Thevenin equivalent circuit is helpful in finding the maximum power a linear circuit can deliver to a load. It is assumed in this context that the load resistance can be adjusted.
By substituting the entire circuit with...
The Carnot Cycle and the Second Law of Thermodynamics01:20

The Carnot Cycle and the Second Law of Thermodynamics

The Carnot engine works between two heat reservoirs of fixed temperatures. The Carnot cycle begs the following question: Is it possible to devise a heat engine that is more efficient than a Carnot engine between two fixed temperatures? The answer lies in designing a Carnot refrigerator.
Since the individual steps in a Carnot cycle can be reversed, the entire cycle is, thus, reversible. If a Carnot cycle is reversed, it becomes a Carnot refrigerator. It extracts heat Qc from a cold reservoir at...
Mechanisms of Heat Transfer II01:20

Mechanisms of Heat Transfer II

In convection, thermal energy is carried by the large-scale flow of matter. Ocean currents and large-scale atmospheric circulation, which result from the buoyancy of warm air and water, transfer hot air from the tropics toward the poles and cold air from the poles toward the tropics. The Earth’s rotation interacts with those flows, causing the observed eastward flow of air in the temperate zones. Convection dominates heat transfer by air, and the amount of available space for the airflow...

You might also read

Related Articles

Articles linked to this work by shared authors, journal, and citation graph.

Sort by
Same author

Probing coherent quantum thermodynamics using a trapped ion.

Nature communications·2024
Same author

Realization of a chip-based hybrid trapping setup for 87Rb atoms and Yb+ ion crystals.

The Review of scientific instruments·2024
Same author

Generalizability of predictive models for Clostridioides difficile infection, severity and recurrence at an urban safety-net hospital.

The Journal of hospital infection·2024
Same author

"Time Variable Earth Gravity Field Models From the First Spaceborne Laser Ranging Interferometer".

Journal of geophysical research. Solid earth·2022
Same author

Detecting Heat Leaks with Trapped Ion Qubits.

Physical review letters·2022
Same author

Rydberg Series Excitation of a Single Trapped ^{40}Ca^{+} Ion for Precision Measurements and Principal Quantum Number Scalings.

Physical review letters·2021
Same journal

Erratum: Bacterial Turbulence at Compressible Fluid Interfaces [Phys. Rev. Lett. 136, 138301 (2026)].

Physical review letters·2026
Same journal

Unveiling Light-Quark Yukawa Flavor Structure via Dihadron Fragmentation at Lepton Colliders.

Physical review letters·2026
Same journal

Adaptable Route to Fast Coherent State Transport via Bang-Bang-Bang Protocols.

Physical review letters·2026
Same journal

Topological Transition and Emergence of Elasticity of Dislocation in Skyrmion Lattice: Beyond Kittel's Magnetic-Polar Analogy.

Physical review letters·2026
Same journal

Pound-Drever-Hall Method for Superconducting-Qubit Readout.

Physical review letters·2026
Same journal

Coupling a ^{73}Ge Nuclear Spin to an Electrostatically Defined Quantum Dot in Silicon.

Physical review letters·2026
See all related articles

Related Experiment Video

Updated: May 16, 2026

Asymmetric Thermoelectrochemical Cell for Harvesting Low-grade Heat under Isothermal Operation
09:09

Asymmetric Thermoelectrochemical Cell for Harvesting Low-grade Heat under Isothermal Operation

Published on: February 5, 2020

Single-ion heat engine at maximum power.

O Abah1, J Rossnagel, G Jacob

  • 1Department of Physics, University of Augsburg, D-86159 Augsburg, Germany.

Physical Review Letters
|December 11, 2012
PubMed
Summary
This summary is machine-generated.

Researchers designed a single-ion nanoheat engine using an Otto cycle. This quantum heat engine demonstrates feasibility and can reach 30% efficiency under realistic conditions.

More Related Videos

Non-equilibrium Microwave Plasma for Efficient High Temperature Chemistry
07:17

Non-equilibrium Microwave Plasma for Efficient High Temperature Chemistry

Published on: August 1, 2017

Related Experiment Videos

Last Updated: May 16, 2026

Asymmetric Thermoelectrochemical Cell for Harvesting Low-grade Heat under Isothermal Operation
09:09

Asymmetric Thermoelectrochemical Cell for Harvesting Low-grade Heat under Isothermal Operation

Published on: February 5, 2020

Non-equilibrium Microwave Plasma for Efficient High Temperature Chemistry
07:17

Non-equilibrium Microwave Plasma for Efficient High Temperature Chemistry

Published on: August 1, 2017

Area of Science:

  • Quantum thermodynamics
  • Nanoscale heat engines
  • Ion trapping

Background:

  • Quantum heat engines offer a promising avenue for energy conversion at the nanoscale.
  • Implementing thermodynamic cycles with single quantum systems presents significant experimental challenges.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To propose a feasible experimental scheme for a single-ion nanoheat engine.
  • To investigate the performance of a quantum Otto cycle at the nanoscale.
  • To determine the quantum efficiency and maximum power of the proposed engine.

Main Methods:

  • Confining a single ion in a linear Paul trap with tapered geometry.
  • Coupling the ion to engineered laser reservoirs to simulate heat baths.
  • Analytical determination of quantum efficiency at maximum power.
  • Monte Carlo simulations to demonstrate engine feasibility and performance.

Main Results:

  • The proposed scheme enables the implementation of a quantum Otto cycle using a single ion.
  • Analytical calculations provide quantum efficiency at maximum power across different regimes.
  • Monte Carlo simulations confirm the engine's feasibility under realistic operating conditions.
  • A maximum efficiency of 30% was demonstrated under realistic conditions.

Conclusions:

  • A single-ion nanoheat engine based on the Otto cycle is experimentally achievable.
  • The proposed system offers a platform for studying quantum thermodynamics at the nanoscale.
  • The engine demonstrates significant efficiency, highlighting the potential of quantum systems for energy conversion.