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Atomic scale engines: Cars and wheels

Markus Porto·Michael Urbakh·Joseph Klafter
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Abstract

We introduce a new approach to build microscopic engines on the atomic scale that move translationally or rotationally and can perform useful functions such as pulling of a cargo. Characteristic of these engines is the possibility to determine dynamically the directionality of the motion. The approach is based on the transformation of the fed energy to directed motion through a dynamical competition between the intrinsic lengths of the moving object and the supporting carrier.

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Markus Porto, Michael Urbakh, Joseph Klafter. 2000-06-04. Atomic scale engines: Cars and wheels. https://doi.org/10.1103/physrevlett.84.6058

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