  Vibrational nonequilibrium effects in charge transport through
single-molecule junctions are investigated. Focusing on molecular bridges with
multiple electronic states, it is shown that electronic-vibrational coupling
triggers a variety of vibronic emission and absorption processes, which
influence the conductance properties and mechanical stability of
single-molecule junctions profoundly. Employing a master equation and a
nonequilibrium Green's function approach, these processes are analyzed in
detail for a generic model of a molecular junction and for
benzenedibutanethiolate bound to gold electrodes.
