Eur. Phys. J. B 43, 521-527 (2005)
https://doi.org/10.1140/epjb/e2005-00086-6

Dissipated work in driven harmonic diffusive systems: General solution and application to stretching Rouse polymers

II. Institut für Theoretische Physik, Universität Stuttgart, 70550 Stuttgart, Germany

Corresponding author: ^a speck@theo2.physik.uni-stuttgart.de

Received: 6 October 2004
Revised: 21 December 2004
Published online: 30 March 2005

Abstract

We study n-dimensional diffusive motion in an externally driven harmonic potential. For these systems the probability distribution of the applied work is a Gaussian. We give explicit expressions for its mean and variance, which are determined by a non-local integral kernel relating the time-derivatives of the applied forces. As illustrations, we specialize our results to dragging a colloidal particle through a viscous fluid and to stretching a Rouse polymer with different protocols.