We establish a quantum Otto engine cycle in which the working substance contacts with squeezed reservoirs during the two quantum isochoric processes. We consider two working substances: (1) a qubit and (2) two coupled qubits. Due to the effects of squeezing, the working substance can be heated to a higher effective temperature, which leads to many interesting features different from the ordinary ones, such as (1) for the qubit as working substance, if we choose the squeezed parameters properly, the positive work can be exported even when $T_H<T_L$, where $T_H$ and $T_L$ are the temperatures of the hot and cool reservoirs, respectively; (2) the efficiency can be higher than classical Carnot efficiency. These results do not violate the second law of thermodynamics and it can be understood as quantum fuel is more efficient than the classical one.

• Received 10 August 2012

DOI:https://doi.org/10.1103/PhysRevE.86.051105