Time-resolved thermodynamic cycles in three-level quantum heat engines

A typical example of a quantum heat engine is a three-level maser in contact with two thermal baths. The dynamics of such open systems can be viewed within the quantum jump unravelling as a stochastic evolution consisting of a series of quantum jumps occurring at random instants of time. In this presentation, we will discuss recent results that employ quantum waiting time distributions, to study the heat transfer and entropy production in a quantum heat engine. Waiting times are probability density functions capturing the delay in two subsequent jumps. The heat transfer in a three-level maser involves at least two jumps, constituting a cycle, whose statistics are explored in detail by deriving the closed-form expressions for the probability and expected time for cycles. This study allows us to analyze thermodynamic cycles over time, providing insights into the duration required for successful heat transfer cycles.