Quantum refrigerators, sensors and the third law

• Applicants: Professor Dr. Gershon Kurizki; Professor Dr. Jörg Wrachtrup
• Subject Area: Experimental Condensed Matter Physics ; Optics, Quantum Optics and Physics of Atoms, Molecules and Plasmas
• Term: from 2018 to 2022
• Project identifier: Deutsche Forschungsgemeinschaft (DFG) - Project number 384846402

The ultimate bounds of cooling quantum systems, particularly the unaainability of the absolute zero or the possibility of violating common views of the third law are not clear yet. Also, experimental implementations are lacking, although refrigerators operating in the deep quantum regime have been suggested, including a single qutrit cooling a qubit. These limitations will be overcome in this project.This project is aimed towards implementations of nano-size or minimal quantum refrigerators in ion traps, locally-cooled sensors and spin baths in NV-based setups [E-H]. The building of these novel quantum refrigerators, along with the improvement of the sensitivity of NV-based sensors and of nuclear-spin polarisation of live tissues will be decisive quantum technological advances. These tasks will also address key fundamental limits of cooling in quantum systems [A]. Major technological impact of this research will come, in the long run, from improved biomedical imaging or ultrasensitive nanoscale sensors for magnetic and electric fields.

• DFG Programme: Research Units
• Subproject of: FOR 2724: Thermal machines in the quantum world
• International Connection: Israel