title: Signal detection via residence times statistics: noise-mediated minimization of the measurement error.
abstract: We study the problem of detecting a small dc signal by quantifying its effect on the mean difference DeltaT in residence times in the stable steady states of a bistable dynamical measurement device, in the presence of a noise floor and a known time-sinusoidal bias signal. Errors in the measurement process occur due to a finite observation time that is present in most practical scenarios. The error is found to have a nonmonotonic dependence on the noise intensity; at a critical noise intensity, the error is minimized. This phenomenon, reminiscent of the well-known stochastic resonance effect, can also be obtained by adjusting the device tuning parameters for a given noise floor. The effect appears to be most pronounced for subthreshold bias signals in the strongly nonlinear response regime.
authors.affiliation: School of Engineering, University of Warwick, Coventry CV4 7AL, United Kingdom.
authors.forename: A
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Nikitin
authors.forename: N G
authors.initials: NG
authors.lastname: Stocks
authors.forename: A R
authors.initials: AR
authors.lastname: Bulsara