Quantum heat engine based on a spin-orbit- and Zeeman-coupled Bose-Einstein condensate

We explore the potential of a spin-orbit-coupled Bose-Einstein condensate for thermodynamic cycles. For this purpose we propose a quantum heat engine based on a condensate with spin-orbit and Zeeman coupling as a working medium. The cooling and heating are simulated by contacts of the condensate with an external magnetized media and demagnetized media. We examine the condensate ground-state energy and its dependence on the strength of the synthetic spin-orbit and Zeeman couplings and interatomic interaction. Then we study the efficiency of the proposed engine. The cycle has a critical value of spin-orbit coupling related to the engine's maximum efficiency.