| We investigate the non-linear current-voltage characteristic of mesoscopic conductors and the current generated through rectification of an alternating bias. Due to Coulomb interactions the symmetry of transport under magnetic field inversion is broken. Therefore, we consider both the symmetric and anti-symmetric non-linear conductances separately. The non-linear current is determined by different combinations of second order conductances depending on the way external voltages are varied (bias mode). We discuss the role of the bias mode and circuit asymmetry in recent experiments. In a photovoltaic experiment the alternating perturbations are rectified, and the fluctuations of the non-linear conductance are shown to decrease with frequency. Their asymptotical behavior strongly depends on the bias mode and in general the anti-symmetric conductance is suppressed stronger then the symmetric conductance. We investigate non-linear transport and rectification in chaotic rings. In the linear two-probe conductance the phase of the Aharonov-Bohm oscillation is pinned while in non-linear transport phase rigidity is lost. We discuss the shape of the mesoscopic distribution of the phase and determine the phase fluctuations. |
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