Books received

Two losing gambling games, when alternated in a periodic or random fashion, can produce a winning game. This paradox has been inspired by certain physical systems capable of rectifying fluctuations: the so-called Brownian ratchets. In this paper we review this paradox, from Brownian ratchets to the most recent studies on collective games, providing some intuitive explanations of the unexpected phenomena that we will find along the way.     

Brownian motors in the low-energy approximation: Classification and properties

We classify Brownian motors based on the expansion of their velocity in terms of the reciprocal friction coefficient. The two main classes of motors (with dichotomic fluctuations in homogeneous force and periodic potential energy) are characterized by different analytical dependences of their mean velocity on the spatial and temporal asymmetry coefficients and by different adiabatic limits. The competition between the spatial and temporal asymmetries gives rise to stopping points. The transition through these points can be achieved by varying the asymmetry coefficients, temperature, and other motor parameters, which can be used, for example, for nanoparticle segregation. The proposed classification separates out a new type of motors based on synchronous fluctuations in symmetric potential and applied homogeneous force. As an example of this type of motors, we consider a near-surface motor whose two-dimensional motion (parallel and perpendicular to the substrate plane) results from fluctuations in external force inclined to the surface.     

Anomalous transport controlled via potential fluctuations

In this paper, we investigate the transport of an inertial Brownian motor moving in an asymmetric periodic potential, where it is driven by a time periodic and a constant biasing driving force, and potential fluctuations generated by a Gaussian white noise. It is found that some anomalous transports (ATs) appear in the presence of the potential fluctuations. For smaller potential fluctuations, we detect that the phenomenons of absolute negative mobility (ANM) near zero bias, and negative nonlinear mobility (NNM) at larger bias away from equilibrium, which means that the inertial Brownian motor moves opposite to the bias force in the two parameter regimes. However for larger potential fluctuations, the phenomenons of both the ANM and NNM vanish. Furthermore, the asymmetry of the potential can also cause the ATs (i.e., both ANM and NNM) to disappear.     

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.     

High-temperature brownian motors: Deterministic and stochastic fluctuations of a periodic potential

The high-temperature unidirectional motion of a Brownian particle with time-dependent potential energy described by a spatially asymmetric periodic function is considered. A general formula derived for the mean velocity ν of such a motion is specified for dichotomic deterministic and Markovian stochastic processes. In both cases, ν increases linearly for low-frequencies γ of potential-energy fluctuations and reaches maxima for γ about the inverse time of diffusion by the spatial period of the potential. The behaviors of ν for large γ values are different in these cases: ν ∝ γ^?2 and ν ts γ^?1 for the deterministic and stochastic processes, respectively. It is shown that the direction of the motor motion depends on the relative lifetimes of each of the dichotomic-process states if the amplitude of the potential-energy fluctuations is fairly large in comparison with the mean value.     

Near-surface Brownian motor with synchronously fluctuating symmetric potential and applied force

A model is suggested which accounts for the unidirectional surface-parallel motion of a Brownian particle under the action of fluctuating surface-inclined unbiased external force. The surface-normal force component induces amplitude fluctuations of the symmetric periodic near-surface potential, whereas the surface-parallel component makes the particle move along the surface. The combined effect of synchronous fluctuations of the symmetric potential and the applied force leads to the longitudinal drift of the particle. It is shown that the temperature dependence of the motor velocity is nonmonotonic, with the maximum governed by the range of the near-surface potential.     

Ratchets, power strokes, and molecular motors

We present a method for determining the effective driving potential for a molecular motor from measurements of its stochastic position versus time. In developing the method we can make precise the previously vague notions of ‘Brownian ratchet’ and ‘power stroke’, and suggest means to experimentally distinguish between the two. In particular, we distinguish between two kinds of ratchets: ratchets that rectify large fluctuations and ratchets that bias small fluctuations. Received: 24 October 2001 / Accepted: 11 February 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.     

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.     

Supersymmetric ratchets

The overdamped Brownian motion in a periodic potential under far from equilibrium conditions is considered. A large class of systems with an intrinsic asymmetry, called supersymmetric ratchets, is identified for which the occurrence of directed transport can be ruled out without any fine-tuning of parameters.     

Absolute negative mobility induced by thermal equilibrium fluctuations

A novel transport phenomenon is identified that is induced by inertial Brownian particles which move in simple one-dimensional, symmetric periodic potentials under the influence of both a time periodic and a constant, biasing driving force. Within tailored parameter regimes, thermal equilibrium fluctuations induce the phenomenon of absolute negative mobility (ANM), which means that the particle noisily moves backwards against a small constant bias. When no thermal fluctuations act, the transport vanishes identically in these tailored regimes. ANM can also occur in the absence of fluctuations on grounds which are rooted solely in the complex, inertial deterministic dynamics. The experimental verification of this new transport scheme is elucidated for the archetype symmetric physical system: a convenient setup consisting of a resistively and capacitively shunted Josephson junction device.     

Anomalous transport and diffusion phenomena induced by biharmonic forces in deformable potential systems

We study transport properties of an inertial Brownian motor which moves in a deformable Remoissenet-Peyrad periodic potential and is subjected to both a static bias force and time periodic driving biharmonic force. By modifying the shape of the potential, the anomalous transport is identified for a particular set of the system parameters. For a particular potential shape, the mean velocity of a particle is modified by going from negative to positive values according to the external bias force. These features also depend on both the biharmonic parameter and the phase-lag of two signals. A remarkable transition of the negative velocity depending on the shape of the potential is observed. We also focus on the efficiency of the motor and discuss velocity fluctuation. In addition, within selected system parameters, different types of diffusion particle such as subdiffusion, superdiffusion, normal diffusion, ballistic diffusion, hyperdiffusion and dispersionless transport phenomena are generated in the system.     

Directional motion, current reversals and mass separation in a symmetrical periodic potential

The transport of a symmetric periodic potential driven by a static bias and correlated noises is investigated for both the over-damped case and the under-damped case. By both theoretical approximation and numerical simulations, we study steady current of an over-damped Brownian particle moving in the potential. It is shown that the symmetric periodic potential driven by a static bias and the correlated noises is simultaneously able to exhibit directional transport, a single current reversal, as well as a double current reversal. For the under-damped case, we examine the dynamic at various inertial strengths by direct simulations of the stochastic differential equations. We specially focus on the influence of inertial term in the particle dynamics for the noise induced, directed current. Different directions of the steady current is found for different masses of the particles, thus an efficient scheme to separate the Brownian particles according to their mass is suggested.     

Corrections to Einstein’s Relation for Brownian Motion in a Tilted Periodic Potential

In this paper we revisit the problem of Brownian motion in a tilted periodic potential. We use homogenization theory to derive general formulas for the effective velocity and the effective diffusion tensor that are valid for arbitrary tilts. Furthermore, we obtain power series expansions for the velocity and the diffusion coefficient as functions of the external forcing. Thus, we provide systematic corrections to Einstein’s formula and to linear response theory. Our theoretical results are supported by extensive numerical simulations. For our numerical experiments we use a novel spectral numerical method that leads to a very efficient and accurate calculation of the effective velocity and the effective diffusion tensor.     

Fluctuations and dissipations in stochastic energetic resonance

By analyzing the fluctuations and dissipations of a Brownian particle colliding with the molecules in a fluid, the work exchanged between the Brownian particle constrained in a bistable potential well and an external periodic force is investigated. Characters of the stochastic energetic resonance are found and studied at different intensities of fluctuations and dissipations. The microscopic mechanism of energy exchange between the Brownian particle and the external force is revealed. The method used in this study provides a novel way of controlling the stochastic energetic resonance.     

Brownian Motion Theory of Oxide High-Tc,Superconductor and Inertial Effects of Vortices

The flux dynamics in high-T_c, oxidc superconductors is investigated by using Brownian motion theory, and the inertial effect is studied. Because of the layer structure of the superconductor,the dynamics can be described by the Brownian motion of a particle in a biased periodic potential field.     

Noise-induced transport with low randomness

We study the transport of overdamped Brownian particles in periodic potentials subject to a spatially modulated Gaussian white noise. We derive an analytical expression for the diffusion coefficient of particles. By means of velocity, diffusion coefficient, and their ratio (Péclet number) we discuss (a) symmetric potential and modulation of noise intensity and (b) a ratchet profile with strong noise modulation. It is shown that state dependent fluctuations may not only induce directed transport, but also a pronounced coherence of transport if the potential exhibits a strong asymmetry.     

A composite micromotor driven by self-thermophoresis and Brownian rectification

Brownian motors and self-phoretic microswimmers are two typical micromotors, for which thermal fluctuations play different roles. Brownian motors utilize thermal noise to acquire unidirectional motion, while thermal fluctuations randomize the self-propulsion of self-phoretic microswimmers. Here we perform mesoscale simulations to study a composite micromotor composed of a self-thermophoretic Janus particle under a time-modulated external ratchet potential. The composite motor exhibits a unidirectional transport, whose direction can be reversed by tuning the modulation frequency of the external potential. The maximum transport capability is close to the superposition of the drift speed of the pure Brownian motor and the self-propelling speed of the pure self-thermophoretic particle. Moreover, the hydrodynamic effect influences the orientation of the Janus particle in the ratched potential, hence also the performance of the composite motor. Our work thus provides an enlightening attempt to actively exploit inevitable thermal fluctuations in the implementation of the self-phoretic microswimmers.     

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.