# Heat rectification via a superconducting artificial atom

## TL;DR

This paper reports the experimental realization of a quantum heat rectifier using a superconducting transmon qubit coupled to unequal resonators, advancing control over heat transport in quantum circuits.

## Contribution

It demonstrates the first experimental implementation of a superconducting quantum heat rectifier based on the spin-boson model.

## Key findings

- Successful heat rectification observed in superconducting circuits
- Implementation of a thermal diode at quantum scale
- Advancement in controlling heat flow in quantum devices

## Abstract

In miniaturising electrical devices down to nanoscales, heat transfer has turned into a serious obstacle but also potential resource for future developments, both for conventional and quantum computing architectures. Controlling heat transport in superconducting circuits has thus received increasing attention in engineering microwave environments for circuit quantum electrodynamics (cQED) and circuit quantum thermodynamics experiments (cQTD). While theoretical proposals for cQTD devices are numerous, the experimental situation is much less advanced. There exist only relatively few experimental realisations, mostly due to the difficulties in developing the hybrid devices and in interfacing these often technologically contrasting components. Here we show a realisation of a quantum heat rectifier, a thermal equivalent to the electronic diode, utilising a superconducting transmon qubit coupled to two strongly unequal resonators terminated by mesoscopic heat baths. Our work is the experimental realisation of the spin-boson rectifier proposed by Segal and Nitzan.