Rectification in quantum wires with strong electron interactions

We investigate the rectification of a low-frequency ac bias in quantum wires with strong electron interactions in the presence of a localized asymmetric scattering potential. Electrons of opposite spin form a two-channel Luttinger liquid. We show that the $I-V$ curve significantly differs from that of the one-channel quantum wire\footnote{D. E. Feldman, S. Scheidl, and V. M. Vinokur, \urllink{cond-mat/0410089}{http://arxiv.org/abs/cond-mat/0410089}.} with polarized electrons. The dc current exhibits a non-monotonic dependence on the ac voltage bias, and the dc $I-V$ curve is strongly asymmetric at low voltages.