QUANTUM RECTIFIERS FROM HARMONIC MIXING

We investigate dissipative quantum transport in extended periodic syst ems that are subjected to electric harmonic mixing fields E-hm(t) = E- 1 cos(Omega t) + E-2 cos(2 Omega t+phi) Although such a drive possesse s no net bias on average, the interplay of quantum dissipation and non linear response causes a finite directed current. We thus discover the paradigm of a dissipative quantum rectifier. The quantum current exhi bits multiple reversals when driven in the nonadiabatic regime. As a f unction of temperature the quantum current displays a bell-shaped char acteristic -constituting the benchmark for quantum stochastic resonanc e. Moreover, harmonic mixing also serves as a novel tool to selectivel y control quantum diffusion.