Thermodynamic uncertainty relations for bosonic Otto engines
Related Experiment Video
Updated: Nov 17, 2025

Uncoupling Coriolis Force and Rotating Buoyancy Effects on Full-Field Heat Transfer Properties of a Rotating Channel
Published on: October 5, 2018
1CNR-Istituto di Fotonica e Nanotecnologie, Piazza Leonardo da Vinci 32, I-20133 Milano, Italy and QUIT Group, Dipartimento di Fisica, Università di Pavia, via A. Bassi 6, I-27100 Pavia, Italy.
Abstract:
We study two-mode bosonic engines undergoing an Otto cycle. The energy exchange between the two bosonic systems is provided by a tunable unitary bilinear interaction in the mode operators modeling frequency conversion, whereas the cyclic operation is guaranteed by relaxation to two baths at different temperatures after each interacting stage. By means of a two-point-measurement approach we provide the joint probability of the stochastic work and heat. We derive exact expressions for work and heat fluctuations, identities showing the interdependence among average extracted work, fluctuations, and efficiency, along with thermodynamic uncertainty relations between the signal-to-noise ratio of observed work and heat and the entropy production. We outline how the presented approach can be suitably applied to derive thermodynamic uncertainty relations for quantum Otto engines with alternative unitary strokes.
Related Concept Videos
Otto and Diesel Cycle
Path Between Thermodynamics States
The Carnot Cycle
What could be the theoretical limit to the efficiency of a heat engine? The...
Statements of the Second Law of Thermodynamics
The Carnot Cycle and the Second Law of Thermodynamics
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...
Second Law of Thermodynamics

