Heat transport through a superconducting artificial atom

Abstract: Quantum heat transfer through a generic superconducting set-up consisting of a tunable transmon qubit placed between resonators that are termined by thermal reservoirs is explored. Two types of architectures are considered, a sequential and a beam splitter setting. Applying the numerical exact hierarchical equation of motion (HEOM) approach, steady state properties are revealed, and experimentally relevant parameter sets are identified. Benchmark results are compared with predictions based on approximate treatments to demonstrate their failure in broad ranges of parameter space. These findings may allow to improve future designs for heat control in superconducting devices.