Stochastic ratcheting of two dimensional colloids : Directed current and dynamical transitions

Abstract

We present results of molecular dynamics simulations for two-dimensional repulsively interacting colloids driven by a one dimensional asymmetric and commensurate ratchet potential, switching on and off stochastically. This drives a time-averaged directed current of colloids, exhibiting resonance with change in ratcheting frequency, where the resonance frequency itself depends non-monotonically on density. Using scaling arguments, we obtain analytic results that show good agreement with numerical simulations. With increasing ratcheting frequency, we find non-equilibrium re-entrant transitions between solid and modulated liquid phases.

paper and supplementary; published version

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Cited by in corpus (1)

• Structure-dynamics relationship in ratcheted colloids: Resonance melting, dislocations, and defect clusters