Current reversal in interacting colloids under time-periodic drive

Abstract

Using molecular dynamics simulations, we study particle-transport in a system of interacting colloidal particles on a ring, where the system is driven by a time-dependent external potential, moving along the ring. We consider two driving protocols: (i) the external potential barrier moves with a uniform velocity $v$ along the ring, and (ii) it moves in discrete jumps with jump-length $l$ and waiting time $\tau$ with an effective velocity $v=l/\tau$. The time-averaged (dc) particle current, which always remains positive in case (i), interestingly reverses its direction in case (ii) upon tuning the particle-number density $\rho_0$ and the effective barrier velocity $v$. We also find a scaling form for the current in terms of number density, barrier velocity, barrier height and temperature of the system.