Rocking ratchet revisited via the Stratonovich formula
Phys. Rev. E 112, 064123 – Published 16 December, 2025
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1103/7cy4-p5tx
Abstract
Diffusion in the channels with flexible moving boundaries as well as driven by time-dependent forces can be described by the generalized Fick-Jacobs (Smoluchowski) equation in the reduced 1D picture, with the Boltzmann factor and the effective diffusion coefficient depending not only on the longitudinal coordinate , but also on time . We show here that for the driving periodic in time and space, the asymptotic solution of the rocking density and the rectified current can be found consistently as a series of corrections to the adiabatic limit given by the Stratonovich formula. The solution is tested on the simplest rocking ratchet system, driven by the homogeneous sinusoidal force . We arrive at analytic formulas for the leading term of the ratchet current for any corrugation of the channel .