Drift without flux: Brownian walker with a space-dependent diffusion coefficient

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2001 EDP Sciences
, , Citation P. Lançon et al 2001 EPL 54 28 DOI 10.1209/epl/i2001-00103-6

0295-5075/54/1/28

Abstract

Space-dependent diffusion of micrometer-sized particles has been directly observed using digital video microscopy. The particles were trapped between two nearly parallel walls making their confinement position dependent. Consequently, not only did we measure a diffusion coefficient which depended on the particles' position, but also report and explain a new effect: a drift of the particles' individual positions in the direction of the diffusion coefficient gradient, in the absence of any external force or concentration gradient.

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10.1209/epl/i2001-00103-6