Universal bounds on fluctuations for machines with broken time-reversal symmetry

Abstract

For a generic class of machines with broken time-reversal symmetry we show that in the linear response regime the relative fluctuation of the sum of output currents for time-forward and time-reversed processes is always lower bounded by the corresponding relative fluctuation of the sum of input currents. This bound is received when the same operating condition, for example, engine, refrigerator or pump, is imposed in both the forward and the reversed processes. As a consequence, universal upper and lower bounds for the ratio of fluctuations between the output and the input current is obtained. Furthermore, we establish an important connection between our results and the recently obtained generalized thermodynamic uncertainty relation for time-reversal symmetry broken systems. We illustrate these findings for two different types of machines: (i) a steady-state three-terminal quantum thermoelectric setup in presence of an external magnetic field, and (ii) a periodically driven classical Brownian heat engine.