Coupling motion of colloidal particles in quasi-two-dimensional confinement

The Brownian motion of colloidal particles in quasi-two-dimensional (q2D) confinement displays a distinct kinetic character from that in bulk. Here we experimentally report dynamic coupling motion of Brownian particles in a relatively long process (∼100 h), which displays a quasi-equilibrium state in the q2D system. In the quasi-equilibrium state, the q2D confinement results in the coupling of particle motions, which slowly damps the motion and interaction of particles until the final equilibrium state is reached. The process of approaching the equilibrium is a random relaxation of a many-body interaction system of Brownian particles. As the relaxation proceeds for ∼100 h, the system reaches the equilibrium state in which the energy gained by the particles from the stochastic collision in the whole system is counteracted by the dissipative energy resulting from the collision. The relaxation time of this stochastic q2D system is 17.7 h. The theory is developed to explain coupling motions of Brownian particles in q2D confinement. (paper)