Precision bound in periodically modulated continuous quantum thermal machines

Abstract

We use Floquet formalism to study fluctuations in periodically modulated continuous thermal machines. We present a generic theory for such machines, followed by specific examples of continuous machines driven by sinusoidal and circular modulations. The thermodynamic uncertainty relations hold for both kind of thermal machines. Interestingly, in case of sinusoidal modulation, the ratio assumes a minimum at the heat engine to refrigerator transition point. Moreover, the noise to signal ratio for the hot and the cold currents are equal, and less than that for the output power for low modulation frequencies. We also study bounds in fluctuations in the efficiencies of such machines; our results suggest that while fluctuations in efficiencies are bounded from below for the heat engine regime, the same is not true in case of a refrigerator.