Enhanced orientational ordering induced by active yet isotropic bath

Abstract: Can a bath of isotropic but active particles promote ordering of anisotropic but passive particles? In this paper, we uncover a fluctuation-driven mechanism by which this is possible. Somewhat counter-intuitively, we show that the passive particles tend to be more ordered upon increasing the noise-strength of the active isotropic bath. We first demonstrate this in a general dynamical model for a non-conserved order parameter (model A) coupled to an active isotropic field and then concentrate on two examples, i. a collection of polar rods on a substrate in an active isotropic bath and ii. a passive apolar suspension in a momentum conserved, actively forced but isotropic fluid which is relevant for current research in active systems. Our theory, which is relevant for understanding ordering transitions in out-of-equilibrium systems can be tested in experiments, for instance, by introducing a low concentration of passive rod-like objects in active isotropic fluids and, since it is applicable to any non-conserved dynamical field, may have applications far beyond active matter.