Collective Directional Transport in Symmetric Periodic Potentials by Breaking the Coupling Symmetry

Collective unidirectional motion of an asymmetrically coupled array of oscillators in symmetric periodic potentials is studied. A directed current is observed when the drift coupling is presented, while no external biased force is applied. Negative directed current is found when varying system parameters. An addition of a periodic rocking force may enhance the efficiency of directed transport. Resonant steps of the current are found and interpreted as the mode locking between the array and the ac force. Noise-assisted transport is observed, and an optimal noise intensity can give rise to a most efficient transport. The directed transport thus can be optimized and furthermore controlled by suitably adjusting the parameters of the system.     

Collective directed transport of symmetrically coupled lattices in symmetric periodic potentials

A mechanism responsible for the directed transport of symmetrically coupled lattices in a symmetric periodic potential is proposed. Under the action of an external wave that breaks the spatiotemporal symmetry and introduces inhomogeneities of the lattice, a net unidirectional current can be observed, originating from a collaboration of the lattice (periodic potential and mutual interactions) and the wave (amplitude, frequency, and phase shifts). Mode-locking induced resonant steps are observed and predicted. The directed transport can be optimized and furthermore controlled by suitably adjusting the parameters of the system.     

Biased Motion in a Symmetric Periodic Potential by Breaking Temporal Symmetry

Unidirectional transport of a particle in a spatially periodic and symmetric potential under a periodic force with broken temporal symmetry is studied.With a collaboration of the potential field and the asymmetric ac force,a dc current can be observed.Resonant current steps are found for a finite period of the ac force.A phase diagram of these resonant steps is given.Stochastic-resonance-like directional transport induced by thermal nonises is revealed.     

Rotational effect in two-dimensional cooperative directed transport

In this review we investigate the rotation effect in the motion of coupled dimer in a two-dimensional asymmetric periodic potential. Free rotation does not generate directed transport in translational direction, while we find it plays an critical role in the motors motility when the dimer moves under the effect of asymmetry ratchet potential. In the presence of external force, we study the relation between the average current and the force numerically and theoretically. The numerical results show that only appropriate driving force could produce nonzero current and there are current transitions when the force is large enough. An analysis of stability analysis of limit cycles is applied to explain the occurrence of these transitions. Moreover, we numerically simulate the transport of this coupled dimer driven by the random fluctuations in the rotational direction. The existence of noise smooths the current transitions induced by the driving force and the resonance-like peaks which depend on the rod length emerge in small noise strength. Thanks to the noise in the rotational direction, autonomous motion emerges without the external force and large noise could make the current reversal happen. Eventually, the new mechanism to generate directed transport by the rotation is studied.     

Cooperative dynamics of coupled motor–cargoes system with stochastic interactions in the crowded environment

In this study, we investigate the cooperative transport behaviors of coupled motor–cargoes system, in which multiple passive cargoes stochastically interact with one active Brownian motor. The environment with stochastic interactions is characterized by the concentration (reflecting the cargo’s number in unit volume) and switching rate (reflecting the interacting stability between motor and cargoes), based on which the stationary multiple-state process can be employed to describe the fluctuating-cargo state in the coupled system. By analyzing the average probability current of decoupled system in the thermodynamic limit, we effectively study the possibility of cooperative transport through stochastic cargoes to behave rich dynamical behaviors, including the directed current, current reversal, stochastic resonance (SR) and stochastic inhibition (SI), inverse SR and SI, even without the effect of external driving force. Based on numerical results, we systematically discuss the transport dependence on various parameters, including the cargo concentration in the crowded environment, cargo capacity of the motor, driving amplitude of external periodic force, and medium temperature. Obviously, the sensitivity of transport process to parameter changes can be used by the environment to regulate its cargo traffic, which also provides latent support for manipulating the transport performance and optimizing the coupled structure in artificial nano-machines.     

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

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.     

Double-temperature ratchet model and current reversal of coupled Brownian motors

On the basis of the transport features and experimental phenomena observed in studies of molecular motors, we propose a double-temperature ratchet model of coupled motors to reveal the dynamical mechanism of cooperative transport of motors with two heads, where the interactions and asynchrony between two motor heads are taken into account. We investigate the collective unidirectional transport of coupled system and find that the direction of motion can be reversed under certain conditions. Reverse motion can be achieved by modulating the coupling strength, coupling free length, and asymmetric coefficient of the periodic potential, which is understood in terms of the effective potential theory. The dependence of the directed current on various parameters is studied systematically. Directed transport of coupled Brownian motors can be manipulated and optimized by adjusting the pulsation period or the phase shift of the pulsation temperature.     

Directed transport of coupled Brownian ratchets with time-delayed feedback

A time-delayed feedback ratchet consisting of two Brownian particles interacting through the elastic spring is consid ered. The model describes the directed transport of coupled Brownian particles in an asymmetric two-well ratchet potential which can be calculated theoretically and implemented experimentally. We explore how the centre-of-mass velocity is af fected by the time delay, natural length of the spring, amplitude strength, angular frequency, external force, and the structure of the potential. It is found that the enhancement of the current can be obtained by varying the coupling strength of the delayed feedback system. When the thermal fluctuation and the harmonic potential match appropriately, directed current evolves periodically with the natural length of the spring and can achieve a higher transport coherence. Moreover, the external force and the amplitude strength can enhance the directed transport of coupled Brownian particles under certain conditions. It is expected that the polymer of large biological molecules may demonstrate a variety of novel cooperative effects in real propelling devices.     

二维耦合定向输运模型研究

建立了外部驱动力及噪声作用下的二维耦合定向输运模型, 其中的一个维度上为周期性分段棘齿势, 另一垂直维度上为周期性对称非棘齿势, 外部驱动力及噪声加在周期对称非棘齿势方向上, 而棘齿势方向不加任何驱动, 采用非平衡统计及非线性动力学理论研究了过阻尼情况下耦合系统在两个维度上的输运性质. 结果显示, 棘齿势与非棘齿势方向均可产生定向输运, 其中棘齿势方向的系统平均速度对耦合强度、噪声强度、驱动力强度及粒子数目均有明显的依赖性, 合适的耦合强度、噪声强度、驱动力强度或粒子数目下均可产生最大输运速度. 而非棘齿势方向的系统平均速度受非棘齿势势垒高度影响显著, 但随耦合强度、驱动力强度、驱动力初相位差及粒子数目的变化均出现波动现象, 表现出平均速度对这些参量的依赖性较弱.     

外力作用下反馈耦合布朗棘轮的定向输运

本文研究了处于外力作用下双阱棘轮势中两个反馈耦合布朗粒子的定向输运性能. 通过对过阻尼朗之万方程的数值求解, 详细讨论了外力、热噪声与势阱的不对称参数等对耦合布朗粒子的平均速度、 有效扩散系数及Pe数的影响. 研究发现, 平均速度随外力呈周期性的变化规律. 同时耦合系统存在最优噪声强度会使定向输运达到最强. 值得指出的是棘轮系统可通过改变双阱势的结构来获得较强的定向流. 关键词： 耦合布朗棘轮 外力 双阱棘轮势 平均速度     

Directed Current Induced by an Symmetrically ac Force Coexisting with a Time-Delayed Feedback

We study the transport of overdamped Brownian particles in a symmetrically periodic potential in the presence of an asymmetrically ac driving force and a time-delayed feedback.It is found that for low frequencies,the average velocity can be negative by changing the driving amplitude,for high frequencies,there exists an optimized driving amplitude at which the average velocity takes its maximum value.Additionally,there is a threshold value of driving amplitude below which no directed transport can be obtained for high frequencies.For the large value of the delay time,the average velocity is independent of the delay time.     

Brownian Ratchet Driven by a Rocking Forcing with Broken Temporal Symmetry

The ratchet motion of a Brownian particle in a symmetric periodic potential under a rocking force thatbreaks the temporal symmetry is studied. As long as the relaxation time in the thermal background is much shorter thanthe forcing period, the unidirectional transport can be analytically treated. By solving the Fokker-Planck equations, weget an analytical expression of the current. This result indicates that with an appropriate match between the potentialfield, the asymmetric ac force and the thermal noise, a net current can be achieved. The current versus thermal noiseexhibits a stochastic-resonance-like behavior.     

反馈控制棘轮的定向输运效率研究

研究了反馈耦合布朗棘轮中粒子处于负载力、时变外力及噪声作用下的定向输运问题.详细讨论了外力作用时间的不对称性、外势空间的不对称性及外力周期等对反馈耦合棘轮中粒子输运效率的影响.研究发现,外力的时间不对称度能促进反馈棘轮中粒子的定向输运,随时间不对称度的增大,反馈棘轮中粒子能获得较大的效率.然而,外势空间的不对称度能有效抑制耦合棘轮中粒子的扩散,达到增强耦合粒子定向输运的效果.同时还发现,存在最优的噪声强度能使耦合粒子的输运效率达到最大.     

Collective Transport of Coupled Brownian Motors with Low Randomness

The transport properties of coupled Brownian motors in rocking ratchet are investigated via solving Langevin equation. By means of velocity, diffusion coefficient, and their ratio （Peclet number）, different features from a single particle have been found. In the regime of low-to-moderate D, the average velocity of elastically coupled Brownian motors is larger than that of a single Brownian particles; the Peclet number of elastically coupled Brownian motors is peaked functions of intensity of noise D but the Peclet number of a single Brownian motor decreases monotonously with the increase of a single Brownian motor. The results exhibit an interesting cooperative behavior between coupled particles subjected to a rocking force, which can generate directed transport with low randomness or high transport coherence in symmetrical periodic potential.     

磁通交流响应的锁模特性研究

本数值研究无序磁通点阵的交流响应．我们在交流驱动力叠加的速度-直流驱动力曲线上发现了锁模台阶．台阶宽度随交流驱动力振幅呈Bessel函数振荡．台阶速度线性依赖于交流驱动力频率．此外，我们还首次考察了温度对锁模特性的影响．发现：台阶速度不随温度的变化而改变，直至台阶消失；热涨落将抹平钉扎势，因此破坏微观速度的调制，另外热涨落还破坏磁通的相干运动，从而导致台阶宽度随温度呈指数衰减．     

Transport properties of coupled Brownian particles confined to a microchannel in an asymmetric periodic potential

On the basis of the transport features and experimental phenomena observed in studies of molecular motors, we investigated an overdamped Brownian motion of two coupled particles with an asymmetric periodic potential in a two-dimensional microchannel theoretically and numerically, to reveal the dynamical mechanism of cooperative transport of particles with two heads, where the interactions between two particles are taken into consideration. Moreover, while moving in a confined structure, Brownian particles also could exhibit peculiar kinetic behavior. The dependence of directed current on various parameters is systematically studied. Our results indicate that the direction of motion can be reversed by modulating the coupling strength, free length, and microchannel width. In addition, we have achieved the conditions of forward motion in this study. That is, when the interparticle average horizontal interval Δx > 0.25L, where L is the spatial period of the external potential, the forward motion of coupled Brownian particles effected by the synchronized noise and confined to a microchannel can be generated in the strong-coupling case.     

非对称耦合粒子链在棘齿势中的确定性定向输运

针对不受外力和噪声驱动的非对称耦合粒子链在棘齿势中的运动, 建立了相应的数学模型, 并对其确定性定向输运现象进行研究. 仿真结果表明: 在粒子间的非对称耦合和具有空间反演非对称的棘齿势的共同作用下, 粒子链能够产生定向输运现象, 并在适当参数条件下还能形成反向定向流; 粒子链平均速度关于耦合系数、势垒高度、弹簧自由长度等系统参数分别都存在广义共振现象, 即存在最佳参数使得定向输运速度达到最大; 在其他参数固定的情况下, 粒子链平均速度关于弹簧自由长度变化的曲线具有近似反对称的特点, 并存在广义多峰共振现象.     

过阻尼布朗棘轮的斯托克斯效率研究

根据随机能量理论解析得到阻尼环境中布朗粒子的概率流和斯托克斯效率,并进一步研究布朗粒子的输运性能.详细讨论了空间的不对称性、外偏置力及外势结构等对棘轮定向输运的影响.研究发现,合适的外偏置力能使棘轮的定向输运达到最强.通过调节外势的不对称性可使棘轮中粒子的运动反向,当选择合适的空间不对称性时布朗粒子的反向输运可获得最强.此外,一定条件下合适的外势高度也能增强棘轮输运,且能使粒子克服黏滞阻力的斯托克斯效率达到最大.所得结论能够启发实验上设计合适的外势及外偏置来优化布朗棘轮的定向输运性能,并为生物纳米器件的研制提供一定的理论参考.     

Slowly rocking symmetric, spatially periodic Hamiltonians: The role of escape and the emergence of giant transient directed transport

The nonintegrable Hamiltonian dynamics of particles placed in a symmetric, spatially periodic potential and subjected to a periodically varying field is explored. Such systems can exhibit a rich diversity of unusual transport features. In particular, depending on the setting of the initial phase of the drive, the possibility of a giant transient directed transport in a symmetric, space-periodic potential when driven with an adiabatically varying field arises. Here, we study the escape scenario and corresponding mean escape times of particles from a trapping region with the subsequent generation of a transient directed flow of an ensemble of particles. It is shown that for adiabatically slow inclination modulations the unidirectional flow proceeds over giant distances. The direction of escape and, hence, of the flow is entirely governed whether the periodic force, modulating the inclination of the potential, starts out initially positive or negative. In the phase space, this transient directed flow is associated with a long-lasting motion taking place within ballistic channels contained in the non-uniform chaotic layer. We demonstrate that for adiabatic modulations all escaping particles move ballistically into the same direction, leading to a giant directed current.     

时间非对称外力驱动分数阶布朗马达的定向输运

本文研究了周期对称势中时间非对称外力驱动的布朗粒子输运现象, 建立了分数阶布朗马达输运模型. 其中外力是零均值的, 而分数阶阶数则刻画了客观环境的非均匀性程度. 通过将模型离散化进行数值模拟, 讨论了分数阶阶数、系统参量和外部参量与定向流之间的依赖关系. 研究表明, 即使没有倾斜势场的作用, 时间非对称外力也可以诱导系统产生定向输运; 输运速度随分数阶阶数的增大而单调递增; 当阶数固定时, 系统的输运速度会随着势垒高度、噪声强度非单调变化, 表现出广义随机共振现象. 分析指出, 分数阶郎之万方程所刻画的输运现象是在整数阶模型基础上的一个推广, 进而为输运现象提供了一个可能更为真实的模型.