Current-induced nonequilibrium vibrations in single-molecule devices
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Finite-bias electron transport through single molecules generally induces nonequilibrium molecular vibrations (phonons). By a mapping to a Fokker-Planck equation, we obtain analytical scaling forms for the nonequilibrium phonon distribution in the limit of weak electron-phonon coupling $λ$ within a minimal model. Remarkably, the width of the phonon distribution diverges as $\simλ^{-α}$ when the coupling decreases, with voltage-dependent, non-integer exponents $α$. This implies a breakdown of perturbation theory in the electron-phonon coupling for fully developed nonequilibrium. We also discuss possible experimental implications of this result such as current-induced dissociation of molecules.
7 pages, 4 figures; revised and extended version published in Phys. Rev. B
7 pages, 4 figures; revised and extended version published in Phys. Rev. B