New paradoxical games based on brownian ratchets

Based on Brownian ratchets, a counterintuitive phenomenon has recently emerged-namely, that two losing games can yield, when combined, a paradoxical tendency to win. A restriction of this phenomenon is that the rules depend on the current capital of the player. Here we present new games where all the rules depend only on the history of the game and not on the capital. This new history-dependent structure significantly increases the parameter space for which the effect operates.     

Randomly chosen chaotic maps can give rise to nearly ordered behavior

Parrondo’s paradox [J.M.R. Parrondo, G.P. Harmer, D. Abbott, New paradoxical games based on Brownian ratchets, Phys. Rev. Lett. 85 (2000), 5226–5229] (see also [O.E. Percus, J.K. Percus, Can two wrongs make a right? Coin-tossing games and Parrondo’s paradox, Math. Intelligencer 24 (3) (2002) 68–72]) states that two losing gambling games when combined one after the other (either deterministically or randomly) can result in a winning game: that is, a losing game followed by a losing game = a winning game. Inspired by this paradox, a recent study [J. Almeida, D. Peralta-Salas, M. Romera, Can two chaotic systems give rise to order? Physica D 200 (2005) 124–132] asked an analogous question in discrete time dynamical system: can two chaotic systems give rise to order, namely can they be combined into another dynamical system which does not behave chaotically? Numerical evidence is provided in [J. Almeida, D. Peralta-Salas, M. Romera, Can two chaotic systems give rise to order? Physica D 200 (2005) 124–132] that two chaotic quadratic maps, when composed with each other, create a new dynamical system which has a stable period orbit. The question of what happens in the case of random composition of maps is posed in [J. Almeida, D. Peralta-Salas, M. Romera, Can two chaotic systems give rise to order? Physica D 200 (2005) 124–132] but left unanswered. In this note we present an example of a dynamical system where, at each iteration, a map is chosen in a probabilistic manner from a collection of chaotic maps. The resulting random map is proved to have an infinite absolutely continuous invariant measure (acim) with spikes at two points. From this we show that the dynamics behaves in a nearly ordered manner. When the foregoing maps are applied one after the other, deterministically as in [O.E. Percus, J.K. Percus, Can two wrongs make a right? Coin-tossing games and Parrondo’s paradox, Math. Intelligencer 24 (3) (2002) 68–72], the resulting composed map has a periodic orbit which is stable.     

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     

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     

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.     

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.     

Adiabatic Brownian ratchets with the inclusion of inertia

Inertial corrections to the drift velocity of a Brownian particle have been calculated for two main classes of Brownian ratchets operating in the adiabatic regime of fluctuations of the potential energy: first, the stationary periodic potential and dichotomic fluctuations of an external force with zero average value (rocking ratchet) and, second, dichotomic fluctuations of the periodic potential itself. It has been shown that, in contrast to passive transport at which the inertial correction always reduces the effective mobility and diffusion coefficients, inertial corrections for Brownian ratchets can play a constructive role, increasing the drift velocity at least at high temperatures.     

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.     

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.     

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.     

Reversible quantum brownian heat engines for electrons

Brownian heat engines use local temperature gradients in asymmetric potentials to move particles against an external force. The energy efficiency of such machines is generally limited by irreversible heat flow carried by particles that make contact with different heat baths. Here we show that, by using a suitably chosen energy filter, electrons can be transferred reversibly between reservoirs that have different temperatures and electrochemical potentials. We apply this result to propose heat engines based on mesoscopic semiconductor ratchets, which can quasistatically operate arbitrarily close to Carnot efficiency.     

Molecular Motor Cycles: From Ratchets to Networks

Molecular motor cycles are studied in the framework of stochastic ratchets in which the motor moves along a 1-dimensional track, can attain M internal states, and can undergo transitions between these levels at K spatial positions. These ratchets can be mapped onto a stochastic network of KM discrete states. The network is governed by a Master equation, fulfills a vertex rule, and satisfies detailed balance in the absence of enzymatic activity and external force. Any pathway of the motor cycle which leads to a forward or backward step of the motor corresponds to a certain sequence of transitions spanning this network. The dependence of the motor velocity on the transition rates can be determined for arbitrary values of K and M and exhibits some simple and universal features.     

Construction of novel stochastic matrices for analysis of Parrondo’s paradox

In Parrondo’s paradox, a winning strategy is formed either by playing two losing games randomly or alternating them periodically. The paradox is commonly analyzed using stochastic matrices. In this paper, we modify the stochastic matrices to allow a more systematic introduction of bias into fair processes, while retaining the use of simple matrix operations throughout the analysis.     

Maximal Parrondo’s Paradox for Classical and Quantum Markov Chains

Parrondo’s paradox refers to the situation where two, multi-round games with a fixed winning criteria, both with probability greater than one-half for one player to win, are combined. Using a possibly biased coin to determine the rule to employ for each round, paradoxically, the previously losing player now wins the combined game with probability greater than one-half. In this paper, we will analyze classical observed, classical hidden, and quantum versions of a game that displays this paradox. The game we have utilized is simpler than games for which this behavior has been previously noted in the classical and quantum cases. We will show that in certain situations the paradox can occur to a greater degree in the quantum version than is possible in the classical versions.     

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.     

Brownian ratchets and Parrondo's games

Parrondo's games present an apparently paradoxical situation where individually losing games can be combined to win. In this article we analyze the case of two coin tossing games. Game B is played with two biased coins and has state-dependent rules based on the player's current capital. Game B can exhibit detailed balance or even negative drift (i.e., loss), depending on the chosen parameters. Game A is played with a single biased coin that produces a loss or negative drift in capital. However, a winning expectation is achieved by randomly mixing A and B. One possible interpretation pictures game A as a source of "noise" that is rectified by game B to produce overall positive drift-as in a Brownian ratchet. Game B has a state-dependent rule that favors a losing coin, but when this state dependence is broken up by the noise introduced by game A, a winning coin is favored. In this article we find the parameter space in which the paradoxical effect occurs and carry out a winning rate analysis. The significance of Parrondo's games is that they are physically motivated and were originally derived by considering a Brownian ratchet-the combination of the games can be therefore considered as a discrete-time Brownian ratchet. We postulate the use of games of this type as a toy model for a number of physical and biological processes and raise a number of open questions for future research. (c) 2001 American Institute of Physics.     

Coupled Brownian motors with two different kinds of time delays

The transport of the coupled Brownian ratchets with two different kinds of time delays is investigated. The increase of the feedback delay reduces the transport with oscillations. While increasing the coupling delay increases the transport with some irregular oscillations and finally saturates to a constant for the large driving force.