Dumbbell transport and deflection in a spatially periodic potential

Abstract

We present theoretical results on the deterministic and stochastic motion of a dumbbell carried by a uniform flow through a three-dimensional spatially periodic potential. Depending on parameters like the flow velocity, there are two different kinds of movement: transport along a potential valley and a stair-like motion oblique to the potential trenches. The crossover between these two regimes, as well as the deflection angle, depend on the size of the dumbbell. Moreover, thermal fluctuations cause a resonance-like variation in the deflection angle as a function of the dumbbell extension.