Non-reciprocal quantum batteries exhibit remarkable capabilities and efficiency

In physics, non-reciprocity occurs when the response of a system varies depending on the direction in which waves or signals propagate within it. This asymmetry arises from a break in so-called time reversal symmetry, which essentially means that the processes of a system observed as it evolves over time will be different from the processes observed as it rewinds.

Non-reciprocity is often used in the development of new quantum technologies, for example to enable the flow of signals in a specific direction and to suppress noise. However, until now it had rarely been applied to the development of quantum energy storage solutions.

Researchers from the University of Gdansk in Poland and the University of Calgary in Canada recently explored the possibility of using non-reciprocity to optimize the charging dynamics of quantum batteries. Their article, published in Physical Assessment Lettersintroduces new non-reciprocal quantum batteries that perform remarkably well in both energy capacity and efficiency.

“Our recent paper emerged from our ongoing research on non-reciprocity and its applications in quantum technologies,” Assistant Professor Shabir Barzanjeh, co-author of the paper, told Phys.org.

“The fundamental idea was inspired by the inherent advantages of non-reciprocal systems in the areas of directional signal flow and noise reduction, which are crucial in quantum information and computing. We wanted to extend these advantages into the realm of quantum batteries, specifically aiming to optimize energy storage and charging dynamics.”

The primary goal of Barzanjeh and his colleagues’ research was to successfully use non-reciprocity to improve the efficiency and capacity of quantum batteries, potentially leading to innovations in the way quantum technologies store energy.

The batteries they designed use time-reversal symmetry breaking to create a direct flow of energy from a quantum charger to the battery, preventing energy backflow.

“This is achieved through reservoir engineering, where a dissipative environment, such as an auxiliary waveguide, enables effective energy transfer,” Barzanjeh explains.

“The non-reciprocal arrangement improves energy accumulation by using an interference-like process that balances dissipative interactions with coherent interactions. This approach significantly increases the stored energy even in overdamped coupling regimes, and is easy to implement using current quantum circuits in photonics and superconducting systems.”

The researchers assessed the performance of their non-reciprocal quantum batteries by performing a series of calculations and achieved promising results. In fact, they found that their non-mutual design led to a fourfold improvement in energy storage efficiency compared to conventional quantum batteries.

“Our findings demonstrate that non-reciprocal quantum batteries can effectively overcome local dissipation and maintain high energy transfer rates,” Barzanjeh said. “The practical implications are extensive and could revolutionize energy storage in quantum technologies, enabling more efficient quantum sensing and energy capture and even advancing the study of quantum thermodynamics.”

This research team’s recent work opens new exciting avenues for using non-reciprocity to improve the performance and reliability of both quantum batteries and other quantum systems.

In their next research, Barzanjeh and his colleagues plan to continue assessing the potential of non-reciprocal quantum batteries, while also optimizing their design and integrating their batteries into larger quantum systems.

“We now want to explore the interplay between non-reciprocity and other quantum sources, such as entanglement and quantum catalysis, to further expand the potential for energy storage,” Barzanjeh added.

“In addition, we plan to experimentally implement our theoretical models in practical quantum circuits, validate our findings and refine the technology for real-world applications. This includes investigating the chiral and topological properties of systems with lossy coupling, which could lead to new breakthroughs in quantum information processing and energy storage.”

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