On the environmental stability of quantum chaotic ratchets

GABRIEL G. CARLO; LEONARDO ERMANN; FLORENTINO BORONDO; ROSA M. BENITO

PHYSICAL REVIEW E

AMER PHYSICAL SOC

Año: 2011 vol. 83 p. 1103 - 1108

1539-3755

The transitory and stationary behavior of a quantum chaotic ratchet consisting of a biharmonicpotential under the effect of different drivings in contact with a thermal environment is studied.For weak forcing and finite ~, we identify a strong dependence of the current on the structure ofthe chaotic region. Moreover, we have determined the robustness of the current against thermalfluctuations in the very weak coupling regime. In the case of strong forcing, the current is determinedby the shape of a chaotic attractor. In both cases the temperature quickly stabilizes the ratchet,but in the latter it also destroys the asymmetry responsible for the current generation. Finally,applications to isomerization reactions are discussed.