Space-time velocity correlation function for random walks

Space-time correlation functions constitute a useful instrument from the research toolkit of continuous-media and many-body physics. We adopt here this concept for single-particle random walks and demonstrate that the corresponding space-time velocity auto-correlation functions reveal correlations which extend in time much longer than estimated with the commonly employed temporal correlation functions. A generic feature of considered random-walk processes is an effect of velocity echo identified by the existence of time-dependent regions where most of the walkers are moving in the direction opposite to their initial motion. We discuss the relevance of the space-time velocity correlation functions for the experimental studies of cold atom dynamics in an optical potential and charge transport on micro- and nano-scales.Comment: Phys. Rev. Lett., in pres

Geometric phase as a determinant of a qubit--environment coupling

We investigate the qubit geometric phase and its properties in dependence on the mechanism for decoherence of a qubit weakly coupled to its environment. We consider two sources of decoherence: dephasing coupling (without exchange of energy with environment) and dissipative coupling (with exchange of energy). Reduced dynamics of the qubit is studied in terms of the rigorous Davies Markovian quantum master equation, both at zero and non--zero temperature. For pure dephasing coupling, the geometric phase varies monotonically with respect to the polar angle (in the Bloch sphere representation) parameterizing an initial state of the qubit. Moreover, it is antisymmetric about some points on the geometric phase-polar angle plane. This is in distinct contrast to the case of dissipative coupling for which the variation of the geometric phase with respect to the polar angle typically is non-monotonic, displaying local extrema and is not antisymmetric. Sensitivity of the geometric phase to details of the decoherence source can make it a tool for testing the nature of the qubit--environment interaction.Comment: accepted for publication in Quantum Information Processin

ac-driven atomic quantum motor

We invent an ac-driven quantum motor consisting of two different, interacting ultracold atoms placed into a ring-shaped optical lattice and submerged in a pulsating magnetic field. While the first atom carries a current, the second one serves as a quantum starter. For fixed zero-momentum initial conditions the asymptotic carrier velocity converges to a unique non-zero value. We also demonstrate that this quantum motor performs work against a constant load.Comment: 4 pages, 4 figure

Transport of overdamped Brownian particles in a two-dimensional tube: Nonadiabatic regime

Transport of overdamped Brownian particles in a two-dimensional asymmetric tube is investigated in the presence of nonadiabatic periodic driving forces. By using Brownian dynamics simulations we can find that the phenomena in nonadiabatic regime differ from that in adiabatic case. The direction of the current can be reversed by tuning the driving frequency. Remarkably, the current as a function of the driving amplitude exhibits several local maxima at finite driving frequency.Comment: 10 pages, 4 figure

Controlling diffusive transport in confined geometries

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.Comment: accepted for publication in Acta Physica Polonica

Markovian embedding of fractional superdiffusion

The Fractional Langevin Equation (FLE) describes a non-Markovian Generalized Brownian Motion with long time persistence (superdiffusion), or anti-persistence (subdiffusion) of both velocity-velocity correlations, and position increments. It presents a case of the Generalized Langevin Equation (GLE) with a singular power law memory kernel. We propose and numerically realize a numerically efficient and reliable Markovian embedding of this superdiffusive GLE, which accurately approximates the FLE over many, about r=N lg b-2, time decades, where N denotes the number of exponentials used to approximate the power law kernel, and b>1 is a scaling parameter for the hierarchy of relaxation constants leading to this power law. Besides its relation to the FLE, our approach presents an independent and very flexible route to model anomalous diffusion. Studying such a superdiffusion in tilted washboard potentials, we demonstrate the phenomenon of transient hyperdiffusion which emerges due to transient kinetic heating effects.Comment: EPL, in pres

Absolute negative mobility induced by thermal equilibrium fluctuations

A novel transport phenomenon is identified that is induced by inertial Brownian particles which move in simple one-dimensional, symmetric periodic potentials under the influence of both a time periodic and a constant, biasing driving force. Within tailored parameter regimes, thermal equilibrium fluctuations induce the phenomenon of absolute negative mobility (ANM), which means that the particle noisily moves {\it backwards} against a small constant bias. When no thermal fluctuations act, the transport vanishes identically in these tailored regimes. There also exist parameter regimes, where ANM can occur in absence of fluctuations on grounds which are rooted solely in the complex, inertial deterministic dynamics. The experimental verification of this new transport scheme is elucidated for the archetype symmetric physical system: a convenient setup consisting of a resistively and capacitively shunted Josephson junction device.Comment: 4 pages, 3 figures. Phys. Rev. Lett. (in press

Negative conductances of Josephson junctions: Voltage fluctuations and energetics

We study a resistively and capacitively shunted Josephson junction, which is driven by a combination of time-periodic and constant currents. Our investigations concern three main problems: (A) The voltage fluctuations across the junction; (B) The quality of transport expressed in terms of the P\'eclet number; (C) The efficiency of energy transduction from external currents. These issues are discussed in different parameter regimes that lead to: (i) absolute negative conductance; (ii) negative differential conductance, and (iii) normal, Ohmic-like conductance. Conditions for optimal operation of the system are studied.Comment: 7 pages, 4 figures, Presented at the "Frontiers of Quantum and Mesoscopic Thermodynamics", 28 July - 2 August 2008, Prague, Czech Republi

Detectable inertial effects on Brownian transport through narrow pores

We investigate the transport of suspended Brownian particles dc driven along corrugated narrow channels in a regime of finite damping. We demonstrate that inertial corrections cannot be neglected as long as the width of the channel bottlenecks is smaller than an appropriate particle diffusion length, which depends on both, the temperature and the strength of the dc drive. Therefore, transport through sufficiently narrow constrictions turns out to be sensitive to the viscosity of the suspension fluid. Applications to colloidal systems are discussed

Absolute negative mobility induced by white Poissonian noise

We research the transport properties of inertial Brownian particles which move in a symmetric periodic potential and are subjected to both a symmetric, unbiased time-periodic external force and biased Poissonian white shot noise (of non-zero average F) being composed of a random sequence of delta-shaped pulses with random amplitudes. Upon varying the parameters of white shot-noise one conveniently can manipulate the transport direction and the overall nonlinear response behavior. Within tailored parameter regimes, we find that the response is opposite to the applied average bias F of such white shot noise. This very transport characteristics thus mimics a nonlinear Absolute Negative Mobility (ANM) regime. Moreover, such white shot noise driven ANM is robust with respect to statistics of the shot noise spikes. Our findings can be checked and corroborated experimentally by use of a setup that consists of a single resistively and capacitively shunted Josephson junction device.Comment: 14 pages, 12 figures; accepted in J. Stat. Mech.: Theor. Exp. (2013