Related Experiment Video
Updated: Jul 18, 2026

Assembling Molecular Shuttles Powered by Reversibly Attached Kinesins
Published on: January 26, 2019
Current rectification by spontaneous symmetry breaking in coupled nanomechanical shuttles
Kang-Hun Ahn1, Hee Chul Park, Jan Wiersig
1Department of Physics, Chungnam National University, Daejeon 305-764, Republic of Korea.
Abstract:
We investigate the transport and the dynamical properties of tunnel-coupled double charge shuttles. The oscillation frequencies of two shuttles are mode locked to integer multiples of the applied voltage frequency omega. We show that left-right-symmetric double shuttles may generate direct net current due to bistable motions caused by parametric instability. The symmetry-broken direct current appears near omega = Omega0/(2j-1), (j = 1,2,...), where Omega0 is the dressed resonance frequency of the relative motion of the two shuttles.
Related Concept Videos
Symmetry in Maxwell's Equations
Spin–Spin Coupling Constant: Overview
Qualitatively, any spin plus-half nucleus polarizes the spins of its electrons to the minus-half state. Consequently, the paired electron in the hydrogen–carbon bond must have a...
Mechanism of Ciliary Motion
The cilia are made up of microtubules in a 9+2 arrangement, with nine microtubule doublet ring bundles, surrounding a pair of central singlet microtubule bundles. The doublet microtubule bundles are...
Mechanism of Ciliary Motion
The cilia are made up of microtubules in a 9+2 arrangement, with nine microtubule doublet ring bundles, surrounding a pair of central singlet microtubule bundles. The doublet microtubule bundles are...
Mechanical Systems
Deformation in a Circular Shaft

