Frustrating Quantum Batteries

We propose to use a quantum spin chain as a device to store and release energy coherently and we investigate the interplay between its internal correlations and outside decoherence. We employ the quantum Ising chain in a transverse field and our charging protocol consists of a sudden global quantum quench in the external field to take the system out of equilibrium. Interactions with the environment and decoherence phenomena can dissipate part of the work that the chain can supply after being charged, measured by the ergotropy. We find that overall, the system shows remarkably better performance, in terms of resilience, charging time, and energy storage, when topological frustration is introduced by setting antiferromagnetic interactions with an odd number of sites and periodic boundary conditions. Moreover, we show that in a simple discharging protocol to an external spin, only the frustrated chain can transfer work and not just heat.