Feedback-induced oscillations in one-dimensional colloidal transport

We investigate a driven, one-dimensional system of colloidal particles in a periodically corrugated narrow channel subject to a time-delayed feedback control. Our goal is to identify conditions under which the control induces oscillatory, time-periodic states. The investigations are based on the Fokker-Planck equation involving the density distribution of the system. First, by using the numerical continuation technique, we determine the linear stability of a stationary density. Second, the nonlinear regimes are analyzed by studying numerically the temporal evolution of the first moment of the density distribution. In this way we construct a bifurcation diagram revealing the nature of the instability. Apart from the case of a system with periodic boundary conditions, we also consider a microchannel of finite length. Finally, we study the influence of (repulsive) particle interactions based on dynamical density functional theory.