High-heat-flux rectification due to a localized thermal diode.

A theoretical implementation of a localized thermal diode with a rectification factor greater than 106 is demonstrated. In reverse thermal bias, extremely low thermal conductivity is achieved through phononic Rayleigh scattering from a finite-depth defect. In forward bias, the diode oscillator escapes the defect and thermal conductivity becomes up to four orders of magnitude higher. The setup provides a minimal model of a localized thermal diode between two identical oscillator chains and opens up a pathway for thermal diode implementations. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]