Out of equilibrium thermodynamics of quantum harmonic chains

Abstract

The thermodynamic implications for the out-of-equilibrium dynamics of quantum systems are to date largely unexplored, especially for quantum many-body systems. In this paper we investigate the paradigmatic case of an array of nearest-neighbor coupled quantum harmonic oscillators interacting with a thermal bath and subjected to a quench of the inter-oscillator coupling strength. We study the work done on the system and its irreversible counterpart, and characterize analytically the fluctuation relations of the ensuing out-of-equilibrium dynamics. Finally, we showcase an interesting functional link between the dissipated work produced across a two-element chain and their degree of general quantum correlations. Our results suggest that, for the specific model at hand, the non-classical features of a harmonic system can influence significantly its thermodynamics.