Superradiance and Superabsorption Engine of $N$ Two-Level Systems: $N^{2}$-Power Scaling at Near-Unity Efficiency

Abstract

We present a thermal engine that exploits the \emph{cooperative superradiance} and \emph{superabsorption} of a sample of \(N\) two-level atoms. This engine operates using a single cold reservoir via cycles of collective pumping followed by decay. Using an effective mean-field Hamiltonian to describe the many-body dynamics, we design optimized drive pulses that preserve adiabaticity and achieve an average power output scaling quadratically with the system size, \(P \propto N^2\). An experimentally measurable figure of merit demonstrates that the efficiency of this superengine can approach unity. The resulting analytical model, which yields a representative Hamiltonian for the sample within the mean-field formalism, is validated by numerical simulations. Our results pave the way for scalable and highly efficient quantum heat engines based on collective effects.