Information and maximum power in a feedback controlled Brownian ratchet

Closed-loop or feedback controlled ratchets are Brownian motors that operate using information about the state of the system. For these ratchets, we compute the power output and we investigate its relation with the information used in the feedback control. We get analytical expressions for one-particle and few-particle flashing ratchets, and we find that the maximum power output has an upper bound proportional to the information. In addition, we show that the increase of the power output that results from changing the optimal open-loop ratchet to a closed-loop ratchet also has an upper bound that is linear in the information.     

Transport reversal in a delayed feedback ratchet

Feedback flashing ratchets are thermal rectifiers that use information on the state of the system to operate the switching on and off of a periodic potential. They can induce directed transport even with symmetric potentials thanks to the asymmetry of the feedback protocol. We investigate here the dynamics of a feedback flashing ratchet when the asymmetry of the ratchet potential and of the feedback protocol favor transport in opposite directions. The introduction of a time delay in the control strategy allows one to nontrivially tune the relative relevance of the competing asymmetries leading to an interesting dynamics. We show that the competition between the asymmetries leads to a current reversal for large delays. For small ensembles of particles current reversal appears as the consequence of the emergence of an open-loop like dynamical regime, while for large ensembles of particles it can be understood as a consequence of the stabilization of quasiperiodic solutions. We also comment on the experimental feasibility of these feedback ratchets and their potential applications.     

反馈脉冲棘轮的能量转化效率研究

研究了反馈脉冲棘轮的定向输运及能量转化效率.详细讨论了弹簧自由长度、耦合强度及脉冲相位等参量对耦合布朗粒子定向输运性能的影响.研究发现,一定自由长度和耦合强度都能促进反馈脉冲棘轮的定向输运,并能使耦合粒子拖动负载做功时的能量转化效率达到最大.此外,通过调节脉冲相位能使反馈棘轮在一个演化周期内获得两次流反转,且合适的相位还能增强反馈棘轮的定向输运.所得结论不仅可为实验上设计合适的反馈脉冲作用来优化棘轮的定向输运性能,而且还能为生物医疗上药物的精准投放提供一定的理论参考.     

Inertial effects, mass separation and rectification power in Lévy ratchets

We study the dynamics of particles in an external anisotropic periodic potential under the influence of additive white Lévy noise, in a general not overdamped situation. Different quantities characterizing directionality, coherence and dispersion are analyzed as functions of the mass and other systems parameters. We show that, while the current decreases monotonously with the stability index of the Lévy noise, there exists a particular intermediate value of such parameter (slightly dependent on the mass) that minimizes the time required to form a coherent particle package advancing in the preferred direction. Moreover, we show the possibility of observing mass separation. This means that particles of different masses may advance in opposite directions when influenced by the same ratchet potential and the same Lévy noise. Finally, we show that the ratio of the advanced distance to the total distance travelled constitutes a relevant measure for the rectification power, useful not only for Lévy ratchets but also for general ratchets systems. In particular, we find that it behaves quite similar to the rectification efficiency for standard models of rocking and flashing ratchets found in the literature.     

Feedback control in a collective flashing ratchet

An ensemble of Brownian particles in a feedback controlled flashing ratchet is studied. The ratchet potential is switched on and off depending on the position of the particles, with the aim of maximizing the current. We study in detail a protocol which maximizes the instant velocity of the center of mass of the ensemble at any time. This protocol is optimal for one particle and performs better than any periodic flashing for ensembles of moderate size, but is defeated by a random or periodic switching for large ensembles.     

Quantum ratchets and quantum heat pumps

Quantum ratchets are Brownian motors in which the quantum dynamics of particles induces qualitatively new behavior. We review a series of experiments in which asymmetric semiconductor devices of sub-micron dimensions are used to study quantum ratchets for electrons. In rocked quantum-dot ratchets electron-wave interference is used to create a non-linear voltage response, leading to a ratchet effect. The direction of the net ratchet current in this type of device can be sensitively controlled by changing one of the following experimental variables: a small external magnetic field, the amplitude of the rocking force, or the Fermi energy. We also describe a tunneling ratchet in which the current direction depends on temperature. In our discussion of the tunneling ratchet we distinguish between three contributions to the non-linear current–voltage characteristics that lead to the ratchet effect: thermal excitation over energy barriers, tunneling through barriers, and wave reflection from barriers. Finally, we discuss the operation of adiabatically rocked tunneling ratchets as heat pumps. Received: 8 February 2002 / Accepted: 11 February 2002 / Published online: 22 April 2002     

Leveraging Environmental Correlations: The Thermodynamics of Requisite Variety

Key to biological success, the requisite variety that confronts an adaptive organism is the set of detectable, accessible, and controllable states in its environment. We analyze its role in the thermodynamic functioning of information ratchets—a form of autonomous Maxwellian Demon capable of exploiting fluctuations in an external information reservoir to harvest useful work from a thermal bath. This establishes a quantitative paradigm for understanding how adaptive agents leverage structured thermal environments for their own thermodynamic benefit. General ratchets behave as memoryful communication channels, interacting with their environment sequentially and storing results to an output. The bulk of thermal ratchets analyzed to date, however, assume memoryless environments that generate input signals without temporal correlations. Employing computational mechanics and a new information-processing Second Law of Thermodynamics (IPSL) we remove these restrictions, analyzing general finite-state ratchets interacting with structured environments that generate correlated input signals. On the one hand, we demonstrate that a ratchet need not have memory to exploit an uncorrelated environment. On the other, and more appropriate to biological adaptation, we show that a ratchet must have memory to most effectively leverage structure and correlation in its environment. The lesson is that to optimally harvest work a ratchet’s memory must reflect the input generator’s memory. Finally, we investigate achieving the IPSL bounds on the amount of work a ratchet can extract from its environment, discovering that finite-state, optimal ratchets are unable to reach these bounds. In contrast, we show that infinite-state ratchets can go well beyond these bounds by utilizing their own infinite “negentropy”. We conclude with an outline of the collective thermodynamics of information-ratchet swarms.     

Control-oriented approaches to anticipating synchronization of chaotic deterministic ratchets

In virtue of techniques derived from nonlinear control system theory, we establish conditions under which one could obtain anticipating synchronization between two periodically driven deterministic ratchets that are able to exhibit directed transport with a finite velocity. Criteria are established in order to guarantee the anticipating synchronization property of such systems as well as characterize phase space dynamics of the ratchet transporting behaviors. These results allow one to predict the chaotic direct transport features of particles on a ratchet potential using a copy of the same system that performs as a slave, which are verified through numerical simulation.     

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.     

Resonant current in coupled inertial Brownian particles with delayed-feedback control

The transport of a walker in rocking feedback-controlled ratchets is investigated. The walker consists of two coupled “feet” that allow the interchange of the order of particles while the walker moves. In the underdamped case, the deterministic dynamics of the walker in a tilted asymmetric ratchet with an external periodic force is considered. It is found that delayed feedback ratchets with a switching-onand-off dependence of the states of the system can lead to absolute negative mobility. In such a novel phenomenon, the particles move against the bias. Moreover, the walker can acquire a series of resonant steps for different values of the current. It is interesting to find that the resonant currents of the walker are induced by the phase locked motion that corresponds to the synchronization of the motion with the change in the frequency of the external driving. These resonant steps can be well predicted in terms of time-space symmetry analysis, which is in good agreement with dynamics simulations. The transport performances can be optimized and controlled by suitably adjusting the parameters of the delayed-feedback ratchets.     

A feedback-controlled Brownian ratchet operated by a temperature switch

In this paper, we present a model of the Brownian motor in a feedback controlled ratchet, in which the application of the flashing potential depends on the state of the particle to be controlled. We derive an analytical expression for the velocity induced by the feedback ratchet, which is a function of several parameters, including the ratio of the two switching temperatures and the asymmetry parameter of the potential field. The motor shows a current inversion when either parameter is varied.     

A feedback controlled Brownian ratchet operated by temperature switch

In this paper, we present a model of the Brownian motor in a feedback controlled ratchet, in which the application of the flashing potential depends on the state of the particle to be controlled. We derive an analytical expression for the velocity induced by the feedback ratchet, which is a function of several parameters, including the ratio of the two switching temperatures and the asymmetry parameter of the potential field. The motor shows a current inversion when either parameter is varied.     

基于连续时间无规行走模型研究反常扩散

基于连续时间无规行走(CTRW)理论，数值研究了布朗粒子的欠扩散、正常扩散和超扩散三种扩散行为.解决了CTRW模型的跳跃步长和等待时间分布函数的可实现化问题，对Metropolis抽样方法进行了改进以适用于周期势.探讨了布朗马达依靠闪烁棘轮和摇摆棘轮整流反常扩散所获得的定向速度，结果显示，闪烁布朗马达定向流极大值出现在超扩散条件下；摇摆布朗马达定向流最大值出现在弹道扩散条件下.     

基于连续时间无规行走模型研究反常扩散

基于连续时间无规行走(CTRW)理论,数值研究了布朗粒子的欠扩散、正常扩散和超扩散三种扩散行为.解决了CTRW模型的跳跃步长和等待时间分布函数的可实现化问题,对Metropolis抽样方法进行了改进以适用于周期势.探讨了布朗马达依靠闪烁棘轮和摇摆棘轮整流反常扩散所获得的定向速度,结果显示,闪烁布朗马达定向流极大值出现在超扩散条件下;摇摆布朗马达定向流最大值出现在弹道扩散条件下. 关键词： 无规行走 反常扩散 Metropolis抽样 棘轮势     

Soliton ratchets out of point-like inhomogeneities

We introduce and study a novel design for a ratchet potential for soliton excitations. The potential is implemented by means of an array of point-like (delta) inhomogeneities in an otherwise homogeneous potential. We use collective coordinates which predict that the effective potential acting on the soliton is periodic but asymmetric and gives rise to the ratchet effect. Numerical simulations fully confirm this prediction; quantitative agreement is reached by an improved version of the theory. Although we specifically show that it is most interesting for building Josephson junction ratchets capable to rectify time-symmetric ac forces, the proposed mechanism is very general and can appear in many contexts, including biological systems.Received: 25 November 2003, Published online: 19 February 2004PACS: 05.45.Yv Solitons - 05.60.-k Transport processes - 63.20.Pw Localized modes     

Rectification Efficiency of Two Harmonically Coupled Particles

Transportation properties of two harmonically coupled particles moving in a flashing or rocking ratchet potential are investigated in terms of Langevin simulation. The efficiency for rectification of non-equilibrium fluctuation is calculated by using a new definition. The results show that both the average current and efficiency of two coupled particles in the flashing ratchet are larger than that of a single particle and these quantities are non-monotonous functions of the potential remaining time.     

分数阶布朗马达在闪烁棘齿势中的合作输运现象

引入分数阶微积分理论,建立耦合分数阶布朗马达在闪烁棘齿势中的合作输运模型, 利用分数阶差分法求得模型数值解并分析了模型参数对合作定向输运性质的影响. 发现在具有记忆性的分数阶棘齿系统中, 系统阶数与粒子间耦合强度不仅可影响粒子链输运速度, 还可使粒子链出现与整数阶方向相反的定向流; 在阶数固定下, 定向输运速度将随参数(噪声强度、耦合强度、棘齿势峰值高度)变化出现广义随机共振现象. 关键词： 分数阶布朗马达 闪烁棘齿势 合作定向输运 广义随机共振     

Theory of slightly fluctuating ratchets

We consider a Brownian particle moving in a slightly fluctuating potential. Using the perturbation theory on small potential fluctuations, we derive a general analytical expression for the average particle velocity valid for both flashing and rocking ratchets with arbitrary, stochastic or deterministic, time dependence of potential energy fluctuations. The result is determined by the Green’s function for diffusion in the time-independent part of the potential and by the features of correlations in the fluctuating part of the potential. The generality of the result allows describing complex ratchet systems with competing characteristic times; these systems are exemplified by the model of a Brownian photomotor with relaxation processes of finite duration.     

SQUID ratchets: basics and experiments

Superconducting quantum interference devices (SQUIDs) are very well suited for experimental investigations of ratchet effects. This is due to the periodicity of the Josephson coupling energy with respect to the phase difference δ of the superconducting macroscopic wave function across a Josephson junction. We show first that, within the resistively and capacitively shunted junction model, the equation of motion for δ is equivalent to the motion of a particle in the so-called tilted washboard potential, and we derive the conditions which have to be satisfied to build a ratchet potential based on asymmetric dc SQUIDs. We then present results from numerical simulations and experimental investigations of dc SQUID ratchets with critical-current asymmetry under harmonic excitation (periodically rocking ratchets). We discuss the impact of important properties like damping or thermal noise on the operation of SQUID ratchets in various regimes, such as adiabatically slow or fast nonadiabatic excitation. Received: 22 November 2001 / Accepted: 14 January 2002 / Published online: 22 April 2002     

Analytical solution to transport in Brownian ratchets via the gambler's ruin model

We present an analogy between the classic gambler's ruin problem and the thermally activated dynamics in periodic Brownian ratchets. By considering each periodic unit of the ratchet as a site chain, we calculated the transition probabilities and mean first passage time for transitions between energy minima of adjacent units. We consider the specific case of Brownian ratchets driven by Markov dichotomous noise. The explicit solution for the current is derived for any arbitrary temperature, and is verified numerically by Langevin simulations. The conditions for current reversal in the ratchet are obtained and discussed.