Current bistability and hysteresis in strongly correlated quantum wires
arXiv:cond-mat/0002290 · doi:10.1103/PhysRevLett.84.3682
Abstract
Nonequilibrium transport properties are determined exactly for an adiabatically connected single channel quantum wire containing one impurity. Employing the Luttinger liquid model with interaction parameter $g$, for very strong interactions $g\lapx 0.2$, and sufficiently low temperatures, we find an S-shaped current-voltage relation. The unstable branch with negative differential conductance gives rise to current oscillations and hysteretic effects. These non perturbative and non linear features appear only out of equilibrium.
4 pages, 1 figure