A thermodynamic probe of the topological phase transition in a Floquet topological insulator

Abhishek Kumar, Colin Benjamin

Published 2020-12-03Version 1

In certain materials light can be used to tune the material from a trivial phase to a topological phase. These materials are classified as Floquet topological insulator (FTI). In this paper, we probe the topological phase transition of a FTI via the efficiency and work output of quantum Otto and quantum Stirling heat engines. A maximum in the efficiency or work output invariably signals the phase transition point. Further, the work output and efficiency for both the engines are markedly robust against the polarization direction of light