Rectification and fluctuations relations in electrical conductors

Rectification and fluctuations relations in electrical conductors Markus Buttiker Université de Genève Typically electrical conductors rectify: the current-voltage characteristic contains even powers of voltage. The leading order term is second order in voltage. In recent years there has been much interest in the magnetic field symmetry of rectification coefficients: for a two-terminal conductor the conductance is an even function of magnetic field (an Onsager symmetry) but the second order rectification coefficient can have a contribution which is odd in magnetic field. Theory predicts that an odd contribution is a consequence of interaction. Such an odd contribution has been seen in a number of experiments in mesoscopic structures. At higher magnetic fields such a contribution can occur in classical systems. Of interest is the connection between rectification properties of an electrical conductor and its noise. We discuss a higher-order fluctuation dissipation relation [1-4] which relates the rectification coefficient to the derivative with respect of voltage of the noise and to the third cumulant of the equilibrium noise und discuss initial experiments. [1] H. Forster and M. Buttiker, PRL 101, 136805 (2008). See also arXiv: 0903.1431.; [2] D. Sánchez, Phys. Rev. B 79, 045305 (2009) [3] R. Sanchez, R. Lopez, D. Sanchez, and M. Buttiker, PRL 104, 076801 (2010). [4] K. E. Nagaev, O. S. Ayvazyan, N. Yu. Sergeeva, M. Buttiker, PRL 105, 146802 (2010)

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