RECTIFICATION OF FLUCTUATIONS IN AN UNDERDAMPED RATCHET

We investigate analytically the motion of underdamped particles subjec t to a deterministic periodic potential and a periodic temperature. De spite the fact that an underdamped particle experiences the temperatur e modulation many times in its escape out of a well and in its motion along the potential, a net directed current linear in the friction con stant is found. If both the potential and the temperature modulation a re sinusoidal with a phase lag delta, this current is proportional to sin delta. [S0031-9007(98)07603-0].