Transport and diffusion on crystalline surfaces under external forces

Abstract

We present a numerical study of classical particles obeying a Langevin equation and moving on a solid crystalline surface under an external force that may either be constant or modulated by periodic oscillations. We focus on the particle drift velocity and diffusion. The roles of friction and equilibrium thermal fluctuations are studied for two nonlinear dynamical regimes corresponding to low and to high but finite friction. We identify a number of resonances and antiresonances, and provide phenomenological interpretations of the observed behaviour