Random telegraph noise in the electric current produced by shot noise is predicted for an array of movable colloid particles by Monte Carlo and molecular dynamics calculations. The electron transport is attributed to the shuttle mechanism where moving colloid particles carry charges. The colloid-particle motion induced by the source-drain voltage shows periodic and/or quasiperiodic vibrations, and the current value depends on the vibration modes. Shot noise that is uncorrelated with the colloid-particle motion causes transitions between the periodic and quasiperiodic vibration modes, resulting in random switching between the current levels corresponding to the vibration modes.

• Received 14 February 2002

DOI:https://doi.org/10.1103/PhysRevLett.89.066802