Atomic switch for control of heat transfer in coupled cavities

Abstract

Controlled heat transfer and thermal rectification in a system of two coupled cavities connected to thermal reservoirs are discussed. Embedding a dispersively interacting two-level atom in one of the cavities allows switching from a thermally conducting to resisting behavior. By properly tuning the atomic state and system-reservoir parameters, direction of current can be reversed, which violates the second law of thermodynamics. It is shown that a large thermal rectification is achievable in this system by tuning the cavity-reservoir and cavity-atom couplings. Partial recovery of diffusive heat transport in an array of $N$ cavities containing one dispersively coupled atom is established.