Abstract: The performance enhancements observed in various models of continuous quantum thermal machines have been linked to the buildup of coherences in a preferred basis. But, is this connection always an evidence of `quantum-thermodynamic supremacy'? By force of example, we show that this is not the case. In particular, we compare a power-driven three-level continuous quantum refrigerator with a four-level combined cycle, partly driven by power and partly by heat. We focus on the weak driving regime and find the four-level model to be superior since i...
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Topics: 
Statistical physics
Quantum mechanics