Optimally controlled optomechanical work cycle for a molecular locomotive

This work seeks to apply the laser optimal control technique to light-driven molecular motors. Taking a recently proposed molecular locomotive as a model system, a control loop is developed specifically for it, and concrete schemes for experimentally closing the loop are devised. A list of unique control objectives is rigorously formulated from the nanomachinery perspective, and corresponding optimization is made feasible by an innovative application of the established technique of closed-loop learning control. The optimization may be pursued for individual laser operational steps as well as for the overall nanolocomotion performance of the entire work cycle. The locomotive optimal control, capable of co-adapting the laser procedure and the periodically driven molecular dynamics, essentially leads to an optimally performing optomechanical work cycle for the locomotive beyond any model-based pre-designed version. These findings reveal a great potential of laser optimally controlled nanowork cycles in the emerging field of nanomachinery