Atomic scale engines: Cars and wheels
Condensed Matter
2009-10-31 v1
Abstract
We introduce a new approach to build microscopic engines on the atomic scale that move translationally or rotationally and can perform useful functions such as pulling of a cargo. Characteristic of these engines is the possibility to determine dynamically the directionality of the motion. The approach is based on the transformation of the fed energy to directed motion through a dynamical competition between the intrinsic lengths of the moving object and the supporting carrier.
Keywords
Cite
@article{arxiv.cond-mat/0006052,
title = {Atomic scale engines: Cars and wheels},
author = {Markus Porto and Michael Urbakh and Joseph Klafter},
journal= {arXiv preprint arXiv:cond-mat/0006052},
year = {2009}
}
Comments
4 pages, 3 figures (2 in color), Phys. Rev. Lett. (in print)