We investigate the influence of an additional torque on the motion of Brownian particles confined in a channel geometry with varying width. The particles are driven by random fluctuations modeled by an Ornstein-Uhlenbeck process with given correlation time ${\tau }_c$. The latter causes persistent motion and is implemented as (i) thermal noise in equilibrium and (ii) noisy propulsion in nonequilibrium. In the nonthermal process a directed transport emerges; its properties are studied in detail with respect to the correlation time, the torque, and the channel geometry. Eventually, the transport mechanism is traced back to a persistent sliding of particles along the even boundaries in contrast to scattered motion at uneven or rough ones.

• Received 24 January 2012

DOI:https://doi.org/10.1103/PhysRevE.85.051110