An interacting adiabatic quantum motor

We present a field theoretic treatment of an adiabatic quantum motor. We explicitly discuss a motor termed Thouless motor which is based on a Thouless pump operating in reverse. When a sliding periodic potential is considered as the motor degree of freedom, a bias voltage applied to the electron channel sets the motor in motion. We investigate a Thouless motor whose electron channel is modeled as a Luttinger liquid. Interactions increase the gap opened by the periodic potential. For an infinite Luttinger liquid the coupling induced friction is enhanced by electronelectron interactions. When the LL is ultimately coupled to Fermi liquid reservoirs, the dissipation reduces to its value for a noninteracting electron system for a constant motor velocity. Our results can also be applied to a motor based on a nanomagnet coupled to a quantum spin Hall edge.