Interacting particles in a periodically moving potential: Traveling wave and transport

We study a system of interacting particles in a periodically moving external potential, within the simplest possible description of paradigmatic symmetric exclusion process on a ring. The model describes diffusion of hardcore particles where the diffusion dynamics is locally modified at a uniformly moving defect site, mimicking the effect of the periodically moving external potential. The model, though simple, exhibits remarkably rich features in particle transport, such as polarity reversal and double peaks in particle current upon variation of defect velocity and particle density. By tuning these variables, the most efficient transport can be achieved in either direction along the ring. These features can be understood in terms of a traveling density wave propagating in the system. Our results could be experimentally tested, e.g., in a system of colloidal particles driven by a moving optical tweezer.