title: Brownian particle in an optical potential of the washboard type.
abstract: Experimental observations of the fluctuation-driven net transport of silica microspheres are presented in a two-dimensional optical potential of circular symmetry created by a Bessel light beam. The optical field is tailored to break symmetry and create a static tilted periodic (washboard) potential. As the tilt of potential exceeds a threshold, a transition between locked and running modes is observed. The running mode manifests itself by the rapid accumulation of particles at the beam center.
authors.affiliation: School of Physics & Astronomy, University of St. Andrews, North Haugh, St. Andrews, Fife, KY16 9SS, Scotland. sat3@st-andrew.ac.uk
authors.forename: Svetlana A
authors.initials: SA
authors.lastname: Tatarkova
authors.forename: Wilson
authors.initials: W
authors.lastname: Sibbett
authors.forename: Kishan
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Dholakia
mesh_terms: D001692:Biological Transport; D003599:Cytoskeleton / Q000737:chemistry / Q000378:metabolism; D004058:Diffusion; D008954:Models, Biological; D008956:Models, Chemical