In recent years, the study of heat to work conversion has been re-invigorated by
nanotechnology. Steady-state devices do this conversion without any macroscopic moving …

Stochastic thermodynamics as reviewed here systematically provides a framework for
extending the notions of classical thermodynamics such as work, heat and entropy …

When a Brownian particle in contact with a heat bath at a constant temperature is controlled
by a time-dependent harmonic potential, its distribution function can be rigorously derived …

The figure of merit for refrigerators performing finite-time Carnot-like cycles between two
reservoirs at temperature T h and T c (< T h) is optimized. It is found that the coefficient of …

We consider the finite-time operation of a quantum heat engine whose working substance is
composed of a two-level atomic system. The engine cycle, consisting of two quantum …

We apply a unified and trade-off based optimization for low-dissipation models of cyclic heat
devices which accounts for both useful energy and losses. The resulting performance …

We investigate thermoelectric efficiency of systems with broken time-reversal symmetry
under a three-terminal transport. Using a model of Aharonov-Bohm interferometer formed …

We discuss the efficiency of a heat engine operating in a nonequilibrium steady state
maintained by two heat reservoirs. Within the general framework of linear irreversible …

Even if not so ancient, the history of the heat engine efficiency at maximum power
expression has been yet turbulent. More than a decade after the publication of the seminal …

Thermoelectric (TE) energy harvesting is a promising perspective to use waste heat. Due to
the low efficiency of thermoelectric materials many analytical and numerical optimization …