Quantum Control of Heat Current

TL;DR

This paper explores how complex phase coupling in a quantum harmonic oscillator system can control heat flow, revealing mechanisms to modulate heat currents for potential quantum thermal device applications.

Contribution

It introduces a method to control local heat currents in a quantum system using complex phases, highlighting the role of dark mode lifting and bath correlations.

Findings

Complex phases enable control of heat current.

Lifting dark mode modulates heat flow.

System-bath correlations influence heat current.

Abstract

We investigate the local thermal transport in a quantum trimer of harmonic oscillators connected to two thermal baths. The coupling between them are augmented by complex phases which leads to the quantum control of the local atypical heat current between two oscillators connected to the same heat bath. Our study reveals that this atypical heat current is a consequence of the lifting of the dark mode and the modulation of this current is due to variation in system bath correlations. The proposed quantum system may find application in quantum thermal and memory devices by leveraging the heat current.