Thermally driven two-sphere microswimmer with internal feedback control

TL;DR

This paper presents a model of a thermally driven two-sphere microswimmer with internal feedback control, demonstrating nonzero average velocity and analyzing its thermodynamic efficiency, emphasizing the role of information in active matter.

Contribution

It introduces a novel microswimmer model with position-dependent friction and internal feedback, linking thermodynamics and active matter in a new way.

Findings

Nonzero average velocity when friction coefficients depend on position

Entropy production rate characterized using stochastic thermodynamics

Efficiency analysis of the thermally driven microswimmer

Abstract

We discuss the locomotion of a thermally driven elastic two-sphere microswimmer with internal feedback control that is realized by the position-dependent friction coefficients. In our model, the two spheres are in equilibrium with independent heat baths having different temperatures, causing a heat flow between the two spheres. We generally show that the average velocity of the microswimmer is nonzero when the friction coefficients are position-dependent. Using the method of stochastic thermodynamics, we obtain the entropy production rate and discuss the efficiency of the two-sphere microswimmer. The proposed self-propulsion mechanism highlights the importance of information in active matter and can be a fundamental process in various biological systems.