Paths of fluctuation induced switching

TL;DR

This paper investigates the paths of fluctuation-induced switching in systems, developing a theory and experimentally confirming that these paths form a narrow tube in phase space, revealing non-time-reversal symmetry in non-equilibrium systems.

Contribution

The paper introduces a theoretical framework for the distribution of switching paths and experimentally verifies it in a micromechanical oscillator with no adjustable parameters.

Findings

Paths form a narrow tube in phase space

Experimental results match theoretical predictions

Switching lacks time-reversal symmetry in non-equilibrium systems

Abstract

We demonstrate that the paths followed by a system in fluctuation-activated switching form a narrow tube in phase space. A theory of the path distribution is developed and its direct measurement is performed in a micromechanical oscillator. The experimental and theoretical results are in excellent agreement, with no adjustable parameters. We also demonstrate the lack of time-reversal symmetry in switching of systems far from thermal equilibrium.