Interaction-induced current-reversals in driven lattices

TL;DR

This paper shows that long-range interactions in driven lattices can cause multiple reversals of directed currents over time, due to particle accumulation and synchronized motion in phase space, enhancing ratchet efficiency.

Contribution

It introduces a novel mechanism where interactions induce current-reversals and synchronization in driven lattice systems, expanding understanding of Hamiltonian ratchets.

Findings

Interactions cause current-reversals over time.

Particles accumulate in regular phase space regions.

Synchronization enhances ratchet efficiency.

Abstract

We demonstrate that long-range interactions can cause, as time evolves, consecutive reversals of directed currents for dilute ensembles of particles in driven lattices. These current-reversals are based on a general mechanism which leads to an interaction-induced accumulation of particles in the regular regions of the underlying single-particle phase space and to a synchronized single-particle motion as well as an enhanced efficiency of Hamiltonian ratchets.