In this article, we show that a quantum gas, a collection of massive, non-interacting, indistinguishable quantum particles, can be realized as a thermodynamic machine as an artifact of energy quantization and, hence, bears no classical analog. Such a thermodynamic machine depends on the statistics of the particles, the chemical potential, and the spatial dimension of the system. Our detailed analysis demonstrates the fundamental features of quantum Stirling cycles, from the viewpoint of particle statistics and system dimensions, that helps us to realize desired quantum heat engines and refrigerators by exploiting the role of quantum statistical mechanics. In particular, a clear distinction between the behavior of a Fermi gas and a Bose gas is observed in one dimension, rather than in higher dimensions, solely due to the innate differences in their particle statistics indicating the conspicuous role of a quantum thermodynamic signature in lower dimensions.

Abstract. We study the dynamics of a one dimensional quantum spin chain evolving from unentangled or entangled initial state. At a given instant of time a quantum dynamical process (ex. measurement) is performed on a single spin at one end of the chain, decohering the system. Through the further unitary evolution, a signal propagates in the spin chain, which can be detected from a measurement on a different spin at later times. From the dynamical unitary evolution of the decohered state from the epoch time, it is possible to detect the occurrence of the dynamical process. The propagation of the signal for the dynamical process, and the speed of the signal are investigated for various spin models, viz. using the Ising, Heisenberg, and the transverse-XY dynamics.

The effect of a local instantaneous quantum dynamical process (QDP), either unitary or non-unitary, on the quantum state transfer through a unitary Hamiltonian evolution is investigated for both integrable and non-integrable dynamics. There are interference effects of the quantum state propagation and the QDP signal propagation. The state transfer fidelity is small for further sites, from the site where the information is coded, indicating a finite speed for the propagation of the quantum correlation. There is a small change in the state transfer fidelity for the case of nonunitary QDP intervening the background unitary dynamics. In the case of unitary QDP, the change is more pronounced, with a substantial increase in the fidelity for appropriate sites and times. For the non-integrable case, viz. a kicked Harper model, the state transfer fidelity is quite large for further sites for short times, indicating a finite speed for the propagation of the quantum correlation cannot be defined.

The Loschmidt echo is investigated to track the effect of the local QDP. It is also quite sensitive to whether the background dynamics is integrable or not. For the integrable case, viz. the Heisenberg model, the Loschmidt echo depends on the parameters operators corresponding to the QDP as well as the time of QDP. The probability of reviving the system to its initial state is higher for incoherent QDPs occurring at large time intervals. Whereas each time coherent QDP occurs certain probability of reviving the state is always lost. For For the non-integrable case, viz. a kicked Harper model, it exhibits a decaying behaviour when contrasted with integrable dynamics. The decay rate is slower when the corresponding classical Hamiltonian is non chaotic. The Loschmidt echo also distinguishes the integrable and the nonintegrable dynamics when a QDP occurs.

Measure synchronization is a well-known phenomenon in coupled classical Hamiltonian systems over last two decades. In this paper, synchronization for coupled Harper system is investigated in both classical and quantum contexts. The concept of measure synchronization involves with the phase space and it seems that the measure synchronization is restricted in classical limit. But, on the contrary, here, we have extended the aforesaid synchronization in quantum domain. In quantum context, the coupling occurs between two many body systems via a time and site dependent potential. The coupling leads to the generation of entanglement between the quantum systems. We have used a technique, which is already accepted in the classical domain, in both the contexts to establish a connection between classical and quantum scenarios. Interestingly, results corresponding to both the cases lead to some common features. (Saikat Sur), anupamgh@iitk.ac.in (Anupam Ghosh) not observed. Also, since the Hamiltonian systems follow the Liouville's theorem, there is no existence of attractor here unlike the dissipative systems. Therefore, one would get a different type of synchronization: 'measure synchronization' (MS), in coupled Hamiltonian systems, reported in 1999 (Hampton andZanette, 1999).