Performance of superadiabatic quantum machines

Abstract: We investigate the performance of a quantum thermal machine operating in finite time based on shortcut-to-adiabaticity techniques. We compute efficiency and power for a quantum harmonic Otto engine by taking the energetic cost of the superadiabatic driving explicitly into account. We further derive generic upper bounds on both quantities, valid for any heat engine cycle, using the notion of quantum speed limits for driven systems. We demonstrate that these quantum bounds are tighter than those stemming from the second law of thermodynamics.