  This work explores different mechanisms that induce thermal rectification in
the nanoscale. The presence of interacting energy channels combined with simple
asymmetries is sufficient for promoting the desired behavior. We use simple
quantum dot configurations, identifying the basic properties that enhance
rectification for each case: the size of a quantum dot state space (which
suggests the use of scaled up systems with many interacting channels),
tunneling asymmetries due to coherent tunneling in a double quantum dot, or
quantum interference in a triangular triple quantum dot. An efficient and
tunable thermal diode is proposed using a channel capacitively coupled to a
mesoscopic switch.
