Vortex density waves and negative absolute resistance in patterned superconductors

Abstract

We study theoretically dynamical phases of vortices in superconducting films with arrays of obstacles. By performing a series of molecular dynamics simulations and analytical calculations, we demonstrate the existence of a phase of soliton-like vortex-density waves appearing in a wide range of parameters. These waves are formed by a self-assembled phase separation process induced by strongly nonlinear density fluctuations of the moving vortex matter above a certain critical driving current. At high vortex concentrations, the waves move at an approximately current-independent speed resulting in a wide plateau in the voltage-current characteristics. At stronger drives, the vortex system enters into a fully jammed (zero-voltage) phase. By combining ac and dc drives, the interplay between the vortex-density-wave and jammed phases leads to the observation of negative absolute mobility of vortices, which induces the superconducting film into a negative resistance state.

7 pages, 5 figures

References in corpus (13)

• Traffic and Related Self-Driven Many-Particle Systems
• Nonequilibrium Dynamic Phase Diagram for Vortex Lattices
• Dynamic Phases of Vortices in Superconductors with Periodic Pinning
• Brownian motion exhibiting absolute negative mobility
• Size segregation and convection
• Observation of negative absolute resistance in a Josephson junction
• Magnetic Pinning of Vortices in a Superconducting Film: The (anti)vortex-magnetic dipole interaction energy in the London approximation
• Flux front penetration in disordered superconductors
• 4/3-Law of Granular Particles Flowing through a Vertical Pipe
• Negative differential resistivity in superconductors with periodic arrays of pinning sites
• Nonuniform Self-Organized Dynamical States in Superconductors with Periodic Pinning
• Model for Density Waves in Gravity-Driven Granular Flow in Narrow Pipes
• Kinematic Density Waves in Accretion Disks

Cited by in corpus (6)

• Depinning and nonequilibrium dynamic phases of particle assemblies driven over random and ordered substrates: a review
• Comparing the Dynamics of Skyrmions and Superconducting Vortices
• Dynamic Phases, Clustering, and Lane Formation for Driven Disk Systems in the Presence of Quenched Disorder
• Vortex kinks in superconducting films with periodically modulated thickness
• Dynamic Phases and Reentrant Hall Effect for Vortices and Skyrmions on Periodic Pinning Arrays
• Vortex Guidance and Transport in Channeled Pinning Arrays