Year: 2025
Type: article
Abstract: long-range attractive potentials. Using the example of harmonically coupled active Brownian particles, we analytically derive the stationary distribution of the pairwise distances and reveal that the heterogeneity in propulsion speeds induces a characteristic scale of repulsion between particles. This length scale algebraically increases with the difference in their self-propulsion speeds. In contrast to the conventional view that activity in active matter systems typically leads to effective attraction, our results demonstrate that activity can give rise to an emergent repulsive interaction. This phenomenon is universal, independent of the specific dynamics of the particles or the presence of thermal fluctuations. We also discuss possible experimental realization of this counter-intuitive phenomenon.
Source: Soft Matter
DOI: 10.1039/d5sm00137d
Authors: Ritwick Sarkar, Urna Basu
Institution: S.N. Bose National Centre for Basic Sciences
Language: English
Topic: Micro and Nano Robotics
Subfield: Condensed Matter Physics
Field: Physics and Astronomy
Domain: Physical Sciences
Open Access status: green
Awards: G2863018340, G6721390059
OpenAlex ID: W4409113616