Collective shuttling of attracting particles in asymmetric narrow channels

TL;DR

This paper proposes a mechanism for particle shuttling in asymmetric channels using attracting particles under low frequency ac drive, showing enhanced current and directional control due to particle condensation.

Contribution

It introduces a novel particle shuttling mechanism based on attracting particles and asymmetric channels, with detailed analysis of current enhancement and control via particle condensation.

Findings

Net particle current increases with attraction strength.

Particle condensates enable directional shuttling between docking stations.

Transport efficiency surpasses traditional diffusive models.

Abstract

The rectification of a single file of attracting particles subjected to a low frequency ac drive is proposed as a working mechanism for particle shuttling in an asymmetric narrow channel. Increasing the particle attraction results in the file condensing, as signalled by the dramatic enhancement of the net particle current. Magnitude and direction of the current become extremely sensitive to the actual size of the condensate, which can then be made to shuttle between two docking stations, transporting particles in one direction, with an efficiency much larger than conventional diffusive models predict.