Spin Heat Engine Coupled to a Harmonic-Oscillator Flywheel

We realize a heat engine using a single-electron spin as a working medium. The spin pertains to the valence electron of a trapped $40{\mathrm{Ca}}^{+}$ ion, and heat reservoirs are emulated by controlling the spin polarization via optical pumping. The engine is coupled to the ion’s harmonic-oscillator degree of freedom via spin-dependent optical forces.

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