Symmetry breaking in one-dimensional diffusion

Abstract

The mean free passage time for one-dimensional diffusion on a line segment under the influence of a deterministic telegraph signal proves to be a nonmonotonic function of the signal rate ("stochastic resonance") if symmetry breaking takes place. The symmetry breaking may be expressed either in nonsymmetric boundary conditions (one end absorbing and the other reflecting) or in a nonsymmetric telegraph signal. The latter case is considered in detail. It turns out that the larger the asymmetry of a telegraph signal, the wider the range of parameters for which a stochastic resonance occurs.