Bifurcation and chaos in coupled ratchets exhibiting synchronized dynamics

Directed ratchet transport in starlike networks of driven damped pendula by localized symmetry-breaking-inducing excitations

We study the effectiveness of locally controlling the breakage of a significant space-time symmetry by zero-average periodic excitations at inducing and suppressing directed ratchet transport (i.e., that induced without an applied net bias) and chaos in starlike networks of driven damped pendula. While the emergence of chaos mainly depends upon the impulse transmitted by the periodic excitations, directed ratchet transport does upon a subtle balance between energy transmitted through the pendula via excitations' impulse and degree of symmetry breaking, thus defining a physical criticality scenario. Optimal enhancement of directed ratchet transport is found to occur when the waveform of the periodic excitation matches as closely as possible to a universal waveform when all nodes are homogeneously driven. In the case of networks with heterogeneous distributions of the symmetry breaking, the net ratcheting effect of increasing the effective breakage by periodic excitations acting on a number of particular nodes strongly depends upon their number and degree of connectivity as well as the coupling strength, while showing self-organized criticality with respect to the maximum strength of directed ratchet transport.

Collective dynamics of a network of ratchets coupled via a stochastic dynamical environment

We investigate the collective dynamics of a network of inertia particles diffusing in a ratchet potential and interacting indirectly through their stochastic dynamical environment. We obtain analytically the condition for the existence of a stable collective state, and we show that the number N of particles in the network, and the strength k of their interaction with the environment, play key roles in synchronization and transport processes. Synchronization is preceded by symmetry-breaking associated with double-resonance oscillations and is shown to be strongly dependent on the network size: convergence to the synchronization manifold occurs much faster with a large network. For small networks, increasing the noise level enhances synchronization in the weakly coupled regime, while particles in a large network are weakly synchronized. Similarly, in the strongly coupled regime, particles in a small network are weakly synchronized; whereas the synchronization is strong and robust against noise when the network-size is large. Small and moderate networks maximize and stabilize efficient transport. Although the dynamics for larger networks is highly correlated, the transport current is erratic.

Stochastic resonance in coupled underdamped bistable systems

We study onset and control of stochastic resonance (SR) phenomenon in two driven bistable systems, mutually coupled and subjected to independent noises, taking into account the influence of both the inertia and the coupling. In the absence of coupling, we found two critical damping parameters: one for the onset of SR and another for which SR is optimum. We then show that in weakly coupled systems, emergence of SR is governed by chaos. A strong coupling between the two oscillators induces coherence in the system; however, the systems do not synchronize no matter what the coupling is. Moreover, a specific coupling parameter is found for which the SR of each subsystem is optimum. Finally, a scheme for controlling SR in such coupled systems is proposed by introducing a phase difference between the two coherent driving forces.

Current reversals and synchronization in coupled ratchets

Current reversal is an intriguing phenomenon that has been central to recent experimental and theoretical investigations of transport based on ratchet mechanism. By considering a system of two interacting ratchets, we demonstrate how the coupling can be used to control the reversals. In particular, we find that current reversal that exists in a single driven ratchet system can ultimately be eliminated with the presence of a second ratchet. For specific coupling strengths a current-reversal free regime has been detected. Furthermore, in the fully synchronized state characterized by the coupling threshold k(th), a specific driving amplitude a(opt) is found for which the transport is optimum.

Complex synchronization structure of an overdamped ratchet with discontinuous periodic forcing

A deterministic overdamped ratchet driven by a periodic square driving force is shown to display chaotic behavior. The system has neither temporal nor quenched noise but the strong nonlinearity of the driving force produces a very rich bifurcation pattern with synchronized as well as chaotic regions. This pattern disappears if a sinusoidal force replaces the square force. This unexpected behavior is explained by decomposing the system into two exactly solvable subsystems, each with its own characteristic transit time, so that the ratio between the period of the driving force and the transit times can be analyzed. The transition from synchronized to chaotic motion can be explained by means of a one-dimensional Poincaré map. Our results can be experimentally confirmed in a number of systems, including the three-junction superconducting quantum interference devices ratchet, the rocking ratchet effect for cold atoms, and the Josephson vortex ratchet.

Phase synchronization in tilted inertial ratchets as chaotic rotators

The phenomenon of phase synchronization for a particle in a periodic ratchet potential is studied. We consider the deterministic dynamics in the underdamped case where the inertia plays an important role since the dynamics can become chaotic. The ratchet potential is tilted due to a constant external force and is rocking by an external periodic forcing. This potential has to be tilted in order to obtain a rotator or self-sustained nonlinear oscillator in the absence of the external periodic forcing; this oscillator then acquires an intrinsic frequency that can be locked with the frequency of the external driving. We introduced an instantaneous linear phase, using a set of discrete time markers, and the associated average frequency, and show that this frequency can be synchronized with the frequency of the driving. We calculate Arnold tongues in a two-dimensional parameter space and discuss their implications for the chaotic transport in ratchets. We show that the local maxima in the current correspond to the borders of these Arnold tongues; in this way we established a link between optimal transport in ratchets and phase synchronization.