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Ratchet, pawl and spring Brownian motor

A. Gomez-Marin·J. M. Sancho
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Abstract

We present a model for a thermal Brownian motor based on Feynman's famous ratchet and pawl device. Its main feature is that the ratchet and the pawl are in different thermal baths and connected by an harmonic spring. We simulate its dynamics, explore its main features and also derive an approximate analytical solution for the mean velocity as a function of the external torque applied and the temperatures of the baths. Such theoretical predictions and the results from numerical simulations agree within the ranges of the approximations performed.

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A. Gomez-Marin, J. M. Sancho. 2005-06-21. Ratchet, pawl and spring Brownian motor. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.physd.2005.12.015

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