First superconducting quantum heat engine

Researchers at Aalto University have built the world's first cyclic quantum heat engine inside a superconducting circuit. The device, consisting of a transmon qubit, a resonator, and a quantum-circuit refrigerator, operates near absolute zero and converts heat into positive work via an Otto cycle. Led by Academy Professor Mikko Möttönen and first author Tuomas Uusnäkki, the study was published in Tata Communications on July 13, 2026. The engine demonstrates that quantum thermodynamics can be engineered in superconducting systems, offering a path to autonomous quantum devices that could reduce the cost and complexity of scaling quantum computers. Finland's Quantum Technology Strategy aims for a 1000-logical-qubit computer by 2035, which would require hundreds of thousands of physical qubits; current technology relies on millions of expensive microwave cables that introduce noise. An autonomous heat engine could perform tasks like qubit readout on-chip, eliminating many cables. The research used facilities at OtaNano and was funded by the Finland — Research Council of Finland and the Finnish Cultural Foundation.