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Ratchet motion and current reversal of coupled Brownian motors in pulsating symmetric potentials

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Abstract

In this study, we investigate the collective directed transport of coupled Brownian particles in spatially symmetric periodic potentials under time-periodic pulsating modulations. We find that the coupling between two particles can induce symmetry breaking and consequently collective directed motion. Moreover, the direction of motion can be reversed under certain conditions. The dependence of directed current on various parameters is systematically studied. reverse motion can be achieved by modulating the coupling free length and the phase shift of the pulsating potential. The dynamical mechanism of these transport properties is understood in terms of the effective-potential theory and the space-time transformation invariance. The directed transport of coupled Brownian motors can be manipulated and optimized by adjusting the coupling strength, pulsating frequency, or noise intensity.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Physics, Beijing Normal University, Beijing, 100875, China

    Chen-Pu Li

  2. College of Science, Hebei University of Architecture, Zhangjiakou, 075000, China

    Chen-Pu Li

  3. Institute of Systems Science (ISS), Huaqiao University, Xiamen, 361021, China

    Hong-Bin Chen & Zhi-Gang Zheng

  4. College of Information Science and Engineering, Huaqiao University, Xiamen, 361021, China

    Hong-Bin Chen & Zhi-Gang Zheng

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  1. Chen-Pu Li
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  2. Hong-Bin Chen
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  3. Zhi-Gang Zheng
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Correspondence to Zhi-Gang Zheng.

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Li, CP., Chen, HB. & Zheng, ZG. Ratchet motion and current reversal of coupled Brownian motors in pulsating symmetric potentials. Front. Phys. 12, 120502 (2017). https://doi.org/10.1007/s11467-016-0622-1

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s11467-016-0622-1

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