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Symmetry breaking of current response in disordered exclusion processes
1Department of Physics and Astronomy, Tokyo University of Science, Noda, Chiba 278-8510, Japan.
Physical Review. E
|May 16, 2026
Summary
Bias-reversal symmetry in nonequilibrium transport is preserved in disordered systems only when the local bond-bias ratio is uniform. Site disorder breaks this symmetry through interactions, impacting transport in nanochannels.
Area of Science:
- * Statistical mechanics
- * Condensed matter physics
- * Transport phenomena
Background:
- * Bias-reversal symmetry is a key property of nonequilibrium transport in homogeneous systems.
- * The effect of disorder and particle interactions on this symmetry in heterogeneous systems was unclear.
Purpose of the Study:
- * To identify a general criterion for bias-reversal symmetry in disordered exclusion processes.
- * To investigate how different types of disorder (bond vs. site) and particle interactions affect this symmetry.
- * To provide insights into asymmetric transport in biological and artificial nanochannels.
Main Methods:
- * Theoretical analysis to derive a general criterion for symmetry preservation.
- * Mean-field analysis to study the behavior of the system.
- * Numerical simulations to validate theoretical predictions and explore complex scenarios.
Main Results:
- * A general criterion for bias-reversal symmetry was identified: spatial uniformity of the local left-right bond-bias ratio.
- * Bond disorder preserves symmetry beyond linear response, while site disorder breaks it.
- * The interplay between site disorder and particle interactions leads to asymmetric transport.
Conclusions:
- * The derived criterion offers a practical way to classify disordered environments based on symmetry preservation.
- * Environmental disorder and interparticle interactions can cooperate to create asymmetric transport.
- * Findings are relevant for understanding transport in complex nanoscale systems.
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