We first summarize features of free, forced and stochastic harmonic oscillations and, following an idea first proposed by Lord Rayleigh in 1883, we discuss the possibility of maintaining them in the presence of dissipation. We describe how phonons appear in a harmonic (linear) lattice and then use the Toda exponential interaction to illustrate solitonic excitations (cnoidal waves) in a one-dimensional nonlinear lattice. We discuss properties such as specific heat (at constant length/volume) and the dynamic structure factor, both over a broad range of temperature values. By considering the interacting Toda particles to be Brownian units capable of pumping energy from a surrounding heat bath taken as a reservoir we show that solitons can be excited and sustained in the presence of dissipation. Thus the original Toda lattice is converted into an active lattice using Lord Rayleigh's method. Finally, by endowing the Toda-Brownian particles with electric charge (i.e. making them positive ions) and adding free electrons to the system we study the electric currents that arise. We show that, following instability of the base linear Ohm(Drude) conduction state, the active electric Toda lattice is able to maintain a form of high-T supercurrent, whose characteristics we then discuss.

Based on the study of the dynamics of a dissipation-modified Toda anharmonic (one-dimensional, circular) lattice ring we predict here a new form of electric conduction mediated by dissipative solitons. The electron-ion-like interaction permits the trapping of the electron by soliton excitations in the lattice, thus leading to a soliton-driven current much higher than the Drude-like (linear, Ohmic) current. Besides, as we lower the values of the externally imposed field this new form of current survives, with a field-independent value.

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We study electron transport in a one-dimensional molecular lattice chain. The molecules are linked by Morse interaction potentials. The electronic degree of freedom, expressed in terms of a tight binding system, is coupled to the longitudinal displacements of the molecules from their equilibrium positions along the axis of the lattice. More specifically, the distance between two sites influences in an exponential fashion the corresponding electronic transfer matrix element. We demonstrate that when an electron is injected in the undistorted lattice it causes a local deformation such that a compression results leading to a lowering of the electron's energy below the lower edge of the band of linear states. This corresponds to self-localization of the electron due to a polaronlike effect. Then, if a traveling soliton lattice deformation is launched a distance apart from the electron's position, upon encountering the polaronlike state it captures the latter dragging it afterwards along its path. Strikingly, even when the electron is initially uniformly distributed over the lattice sites a traveling soliton lattice deformation gathers the electronic amplitudes during its traversing of the lattice. Eventually, the electron state is strongly localized and moves coherently in unison with the soliton lattice deformation. This shows that for the achievement of coherent electron transport we need not start with the polaronic effect.

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