Controlling diffusive transport in confined geometries

TL;DR

This paper investigates how the shape of narrow, periodically varying channels influences the diffusive transport of Brownian particles, revealing ways to optimize transport and diffusion by geometric design.

Contribution

It provides a detailed analysis of entropic barriers in confined geometries and demonstrates how channel shape can be used to control and enhance particle transport.

Findings

Transport can be tuned by geometric parameters.

Diffusion is maximized at specific channel configurations.

Channel shape critically influences transport efficiency.

Abstract

We analyze the diffusive transport of Brownian particles in narrow channels with periodically varying cross-section. The geometrical confinements lead to entropic barriers, the particle has to overcome in order to proceed in transport direction. The transport characteristics exhibit peculiar behaviors which are in contrast to what is observed for the transport in potentials with purely energetic barriers. By adjusting the geometric parameters of the channel one can effectively tune the transport and diffusion properties. A prominent example is the maximized enhancement of diffusion for particular channel parameters. The understanding of the role of channel-shape provides the possibility for a design of stylized channels wherein the quality of the transport can be efficiently optimized.