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Directed mechanical motion in nonequilibrium nanosystems: Occurrence conditions and kinematic controllability
Author(s) -
Dekhtyar Marina L.,
Korochkova Taisiya Ye.,
Rozenbaum Viktor M.
Publication year - 2010
Publication title -
international journal of quantum chemistry
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 0.484
H-Index - 105
eISSN - 1097-461X
pISSN - 0020-7608
DOI - 10.1002/qua.22322
Subject(s) - molecular motor , controllability , non equilibrium thermodynamics , brownian motion , kinematics , physics , quantum , dipole , classical mechanics , statistical physics , nanotechnology , quantum mechanics , materials science , mathematics
The directed mechanical motion of nanoscale objects along a phase boundary can result from strongly nonequilibrium processes, which transfer the energy of various external sources to the system. This effect is particularly relevant in Brownian (molecular or biological) motors known for their high efficiency of chemical‐to‐kinetic energy conversion. Here, we formulate the necessary conditions for nanoparticle surface‐parallel motion to occur under the action of external nonequilibrium fluctuations of various nature; the ways to provide such conditions are also considered. As shown, the magnitude and sign of the average directed velocity are dictated by the competition between the spatial and temporal asymmetry of the potential energy. The theoretical models are exemplified by high‐efficiency Brownian nanoengines, molecular pumps, dipole rotators, and photo‐induced molecular motors. The latter serve to illustrate the kinematic controllability of motors by varying their molecular structure and photoexcitation parameters. © 2009 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. Int J Quantum Chem, 2010