Effect of harmonic noise on a Brownian particle in a ratchet periodic potential

• Published in: The European physical journal. B, Condensed matter physics Vol. 85; no. 8
• Main Authors: Zhou, Z.R., Bai, L., Shu, C.Z., Nie, L.R.
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Berlin/Heidelberg Springer-Verlag 01-08-2012; EDP Sciences; Springer
• Subjects: Brownian motion; Complex Systems; Condensed Matter Physics; Exact sciences and technology; Fluctuation phenomena, random processes, noise, and brownian motion; Fluid- and Aerodynamics; Physics; Physics and Astronomy; Regular Article; Solid State Physics; Statistical physics, thermodynamics, and nonlinear dynamical systems; Statistical and Nonlinear Physics; Brownian motion; Gaussian noise; White noise; Oscillations; Probability distribution; Ratcheting; Background noise; Periodic potential; Bistability
• ISSN: 1434-6028; 1434-6036
• DOI: 10.1140/epjb/e2012-30298-4

A Brownian particle in a ratchet periodic potential driven by harmonic noise, which is produced through a RLC oscillation circuit with Gaussian white noise, is investigated. The mean velocity and stationary probability distribution function (SPDF) of the system are obtained by means of numerical simulations. We also used the power spectrum of the harmonic noise, the peak position and semi-height width of which can be changed by modulating the driving oscillation circuit’s parameters, to analyse contributions of characteristics of the power spectrum to the mean velocity. The results indicate that: (i) appropriate peak position and semi-height width of the harmonic noise’s power spectrum can maximise the particle’s mean velocity; (ii) the SPDF undergoes a state transition from monostability  →  bistability  →  tristability  →  monostability as the Gaussian white noise intensity is increased, and the other parameters of the driving oscillation circuit can also modify the system’s state.