6533b858fe1ef96bd12b653a
RESEARCH PRODUCT
A single-atom heat engine
Ferdinand Schmidt-kalerJ. RoßnagelObinna AbahKarl Nicolas TolazziKilian SingerKilian SingerS. T. DawkinsEric Lutzsubject
Materials scienceAtomic Physics (physics.atom-ph)FOS: Physical sciences01 natural sciencesphysics.atom-phPhysics - Atomic Physics010305 fluids & plasmasIonquant-phThermodynamic cycle0103 physical sciencesThermal010306 general physicscond-mat.stat-mechCondensed Matter - Statistical MechanicsHeat engineCouplingQuantum PhysicsMultidisciplinaryStatistical Mechanics (cond-mat.stat-mech)business.industryMechanicsPower (physics)Ion trapQuantum Physics (quant-ph)businessThermal energydescription
Making a teeny tiny engine Steam locomotives, cars, and the drinking bird toy all convert heat into useful work as it cycles between two reservoirs at different temperatures. Usually, the working substance where the heat-work conversion occurs is a liquid or a gas, consisting of many molecules. Roβnagel et al. have made a working substance of a single calcium ion in a tapered ion trap. A laser-cooling beam plays the part of a cold reservoir for the calcium ion, and in turn, electric field noise acts as a hot reservoir. Science , this issue p. 325
| year | journal | country | edition | language |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2015-10-13 |