Quantum thermodynamics, quantum correlations and quantum coherence in accelerating Unruh-DeWitt detectors in both steady and dynamical state

We investigate the interplay between quantum thermodynamics, quantum correlations, and quantum coherence within the framework of the Unruh-DeWitt (UdW) detector model. By analyzing both the steady and dynamical states of various quantum resources (including steerability, entanglement, quantum discord, and coherence), we study how these resources evolve under Markovian and non-Markovian environments. Furthermore, we investigate the impact of both the Unruh temperature and the energy levels on three key quantum phenomena: thermodynamic evolution, quantum correlations, and quantum coherence, considering different initial state preparations. The hierarchical structure relating quantum correlations and quantum coherence is determined. We further examine the thermodynamic performance of a quantum heat engine, highlighting the influence of memory effects and classical correlations on heat exchange, work extraction, and efficiency. Our results reveal that non-Markovian dynamics can enhance the preservation of quantum correlations and improve the engine’s efficiency compared to purely Markovian regime. These findings provide insights into the role of quantum correlations and quantum coherence in quantum thermodynamic processes and open avenues for optimizing quantum devices operating in relativistic or open-system settings.

💡 Research Summary

This paper investigates the interplay among quantum thermodynamics, quantum correlations, and quantum coherence in a pair of uniformly accelerated Unruh‑DeWitt (UdW) detectors, treating the detector pair as the working substance of a quantum heat engine. The authors first formulate the system Hamiltonian: two independent two‑level atoms (detectors) coupled via a dipole interaction to a massless scalar field. In the weak‑coupling regime the reduced dynamics of the detectors obey a Kossakowski‑Lindblad master equation. The Unruh effect, arising from uniform acceleration, endows the field with a thermal character at temperature (T_U = a/(2\pi)). The Fourier transform of the Wightman function yields rates (\gamma_{\pm}=Y(\pm\omega)) and the dimensionless ratio (\gamma = \tanh(\beta\omega/2)) (with (\beta = 1/T_U)), which fully determines the stationary X‑shaped density matrix. The initial state is parametrized by (\Delta_0 = \mathrm{Tr}