Transport performance of feedback-coupled Brownian ratchets with closed-loop control strategy

Abstract

The transport performance of two feedback-coupled Brownian particles, which are subjected to the external force, the unbiased time-periodic force and thermal noise, is investigated in the double-well ratchet potential. The average velocity, the average diffusion coefficient and the Pe number are calculated, respectively. The results demonstrate that the transport characteristic of Brownian particles is different under the action of two factors of unbiased time-periodic force, amplitude and frequency. The former factor induces the increase of the average velocity and the average diffusion coefficient with the decrease of thermal noise intensity within certain limits, whereas the latter makes the average velocity decrease in the transport of coupled particles. Moreover, it is found there is an optimal value of the driving frequency at which the Pe number reaches its maximum. Remarkably, it is shown that the current reversal can be achieved by increasing the external force, and the directed transport can be enhanced by varying the structure of the ratchet potential and the intensity of noise.