  The concept of inner friction, by which a quantum heat engine is unable to
follow adiabatically its strokes and thus dissipates useful energy, is
illustrated in an exact physical model where the working substance consists of
an ensemble of misaligned spins interacting with a magnetic field and
performing the Otto cycle. The effect of this static disorder under a
finite-time cycle gives a new perspective of the concept of inner friction
under realistic settings. We investigate the efficiency and power of this
engine and relate its performance to the amount of friction from misalignment
and to the temperature difference between heat baths. Finally we propose an
alternative experimental implementation of the cycle where the spin is encoded
in the degree of polarization of photons.
