How a finite potential barrier decreases the mean first-passage time
- We consider the mean first-passage time of a random walker moving in a potential landscape on a finite interval, the starting and end points being at different potentials. From analytical calculations and Monte Carlo simulations we demonstrate that the mean first-passage time for a piecewise linear curve between these two points is minimized by the introduction of a potential barrier. Due to thermal fluctuations, this barrier may be crossed. It turns out that the corresponding expense for this activation is less severe than the gain from an increased slope towards the end point. In particular, the resulting mean first-passage time is shorter than for a linear potential drop between the two points.
Author details: | Vladimir V. Palyulin, Ralf MetzlerORCiDGND |
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DOI: | https://doi.org/10.1088/1742-5468/2012/03/L03001 |
ISSN: | 1742-5468 |
Title of parent work (English): | Journal of statistical mechanics: theory and experiment |
Publisher: | IOP Publ. Ltd. |
Place of publishing: | Bristol |
Publication type: | Article |
Language: | English |
Year of first publication: | 2012 |
Publication year: | 2012 |
Release date: | 2017/03/26 |
Tag: | diffusion |
Issue: | 1 |
Number of pages: | 10 |
Funding institution: | Deutsche Forschungsgemeinschaft; Academy of Finland |
Organizational units: | Mathematisch-Naturwissenschaftliche Fakultät / Institut für Physik und Astronomie |
Peer review: | Referiert |