Abstract
We suggest a ratchet mechanism of rotatory (or translatory) motion of a Brownian rotator (or a particle) in a spatially symmetric periodic potential. The asymmetry that drives the ratchet motion is due to a special sequence of activation of catalytic sites arranged in space circularly and periodically. A pendulum driven by short impulses at its stable equilibrium point is shown to be a simple mechanical model which can be constructed easily and used for visual observation of the ratchet rotation. A possible application of this mechanism in nanotechnology is briefly discussed.
- Received 8 July 1999
DOI:https://doi.org/10.1103/PhysRevE.61.3256
©2000 American Physical Society