Entropic stochastic resonance: the constructive role of the unevenness

TL;DR

This paper demonstrates that entropy variations due to uneven boundaries can induce stochastic resonance in confined systems, with the resonance's strength depending on geometric parameters, offering new ways to control small-scale noisy systems.

Contribution

It introduces the concept of entropic stochastic resonance (ESR), showing how boundary shape influences resonance and can be optimized for system response enhancement.

Findings

Stochastic resonance occurs due to entropy variations in irregular boundaries.

The amplification factor depends on the shape of the confining region.

Adjusting geometric parameters can optimize the resonance response.

Abstract

We demonstrate the existence of stochastic resonance (SR) in confined systems arising from entropy variations associated to the presence of irregular boundaries. When the motion of a Brownian particle is constrained to a region with uneven boundaries, the presence of a periodic input may give rise to a peak in the spectral amplification factor and therefore to the appearance of the SR phenomenon. We have proved that the amplification factor depends on the shape of the region through which the particle moves and that by adjusting its characteristic geometric parameters one may optimize the response of the system. The situation in which the appearance of such entropic stochastic resonance (ESR) occurs is common for small-scale systems in which confinement and noise play an prominent role. The novel mechanism found could thus constitute an important tool for the characterization of these systems and can put to use for controlling their basic properties.