The laws of thermodynamics state that heat naturally flows from hotter systems or regions to colder systems or regions until a state of thermal equilibrium is reached. This simple principle underpins ...

What is heat, and what is useful work if a machine consists only of an atom and light particles? In modern quantum technologies, this kind of question connects thermodynamics with quantum physics.

A heat engine small enough to fit inside a superconducting circuit has converted heat into measurable work near absolute zero, offering a new test bed for quantum thermodynamics and a possible route ...

A tiny superconducting engine has successfully converted heat near absolute zero into useful work, demonstrating the first cyclic quantum heat engine of its kind. Future versions could operate ...

Heat engines are thermodynamic physical systems that convert heat energy into mechanical work by exploiting a temperature difference between a high-temperature heat source and a low-temperature heat ...