Conversion of heat to light using Townes' Maser-Laser Engine: quantum optics and thermodynamic analysis
It is shown that thermal energy from a heat source can be converted to useful work in the form of maser-laser light by using a combination of a Stern-Gerlach device and stimulated emissions of excited particles in a maser-laser cavity. We analyze the populations of atoms or quantum dots exiting the...
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my.um.eprints.79672019-10-09T07:37:02Z http://eprints.um.edu.my/7967/ Conversion of heat to light using Townes' Maser-Laser Engine: quantum optics and thermodynamic analysis Ooi, Chong Heng Raymond QC Physics It is shown that thermal energy from a heat source can be converted to useful work in the form of maser-laser light by using a combination of a Stern-Gerlach device and stimulated emissions of excited particles in a maser-laser cavity. We analyze the populations of atoms or quantum dots exiting the cavity, the photon statistics, and the internal entropy as a function of atomic transit time, using the quantum theory of masers and lasers. The power of the laser light is estimated to be sufficiently high for device applications. The thermodynamics of the heat converter is analyzed as a heat engine operating between two reservoirs of different temperature but is generalized to include the change of internal quantum states. The von Neumann entropies for the internal degree are obtained. The sum of the internal and external entropies increases after each cycle and the second law is not violated, even if the photon entropy due to finite photon number distribution is not included. An expression for efficiency relating to the Carnot efficiency is obtained. We resolve the subtle paradox on the reduction of the internal entropy with regards to the path separation after the Stern-Gerlach device. American Physical Society 2011 Article PeerReviewed Ooi, Chong Heng Raymond (2011) Conversion of heat to light using Townes' Maser-Laser Engine: quantum optics and thermodynamic analysis. Physical Review A, 83 (4). 043838. ISSN 2469-9926 https://doi.org/10.1103/PhysRevA.83.043838 doi:10.1103/PhysRevA.83.043838 |
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QC Physics Ooi, Chong Heng Raymond Conversion of heat to light using Townes' Maser-Laser Engine: quantum optics and thermodynamic analysis |
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It is shown that thermal energy from a heat source can be converted to useful work in the form of maser-laser light by using a combination of a Stern-Gerlach device and stimulated emissions of excited particles in a maser-laser cavity. We analyze the populations of atoms or quantum dots exiting the cavity, the photon statistics, and the internal entropy as a function of atomic transit time, using the quantum theory of masers and lasers. The power of the laser light is estimated to be sufficiently high for device applications. The thermodynamics of the heat converter is analyzed as a heat engine operating between two reservoirs of different temperature but is generalized to include the change of internal quantum states. The von Neumann entropies for the internal degree are obtained. The sum of the internal and external entropies increases after each cycle and the second law is not violated, even if the photon entropy due to finite photon number distribution is not included. An expression for efficiency relating to the Carnot efficiency is obtained. We resolve the subtle paradox on the reduction of the internal entropy with regards to the path separation after the Stern-Gerlach device. |
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Ooi, Chong Heng Raymond |
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Ooi, Chong Heng Raymond |
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Ooi, Chong Heng Raymond |
title |
Conversion of heat to light using Townes' Maser-Laser Engine: quantum optics and thermodynamic analysis |
title_short |
Conversion of heat to light using Townes' Maser-Laser Engine: quantum optics and thermodynamic analysis |
title_full |
Conversion of heat to light using Townes' Maser-Laser Engine: quantum optics and thermodynamic analysis |
title_fullStr |
Conversion of heat to light using Townes' Maser-Laser Engine: quantum optics and thermodynamic analysis |
title_full_unstemmed |
Conversion of heat to light using Townes' Maser-Laser Engine: quantum optics and thermodynamic analysis |
title_sort |
conversion of heat to light using townes' maser-laser engine: quantum optics and thermodynamic analysis |
publisher |
American Physical Society |
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2011 |
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http://eprints.um.edu.my/7967/ https://doi.org/10.1103/PhysRevA.83.043838 |
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