Orientation-dependent propulsion of active Brownian spheres: from self-advection to programmable cluster shapes

TL;DR

This paper explores how orientation-dependent propulsion in active Brownian spheres influences their collective behavior, leading to self-advection, circulating currents, and customizable cluster formations, with implications for controlling active particle systems.

Contribution

It introduces an analytical and simulation-based study of orientation-dependent propulsion effects on active Brownian spheres, revealing new collective behaviors and programmable cluster shapes.

Findings

Orientation dependence causes self-advection and circulating currents.

Programmable cluster shapes can be achieved.

Analytical and simulation results agree on key behaviors.

Abstract

Applications of active particles require a method for controlling their dynamics. While this is typically achieved via direct interventions, indirect interventions based, e.g., on an orientation-dependent self-propulsion speed of the particles, become increasingly popular. In this work, we investigate systems of interacting active Brownian spheres in two spatial dimensions with orientation-dependent propulsion using analytical modeling and Brownian dynamics simulations. It is found that the orientation-dependence leads to self-advection, circulating currents, and programmable cluster shapes.