Vortex rectification effects in films with periodic asymmetric pinning

We study the transport of vortices excited by an ac current in an Al film with an array of nanoengineered asymmetric antidots. The vortex response to the ac current is investigated by detailed measurements of the voltage output as a function of ac current amplitude, magnetic field and temperature. The measurements revealed pronounced voltage rectification effects which are mainly characterized by the two critical depinning forces of the asymmetric potential. The shape of the net dc voltage as a function of the excitation amplitude indicates that our vortex ratchet behaves in a way very different from standard overdamped models. Rather, as demonstrated by the observed output signal, the repinning force, necessary to stop vortex motion, is considerably smaller than the depinning force, resembling the behavior of the so-called inertia ratchets. Calculations based on an underdamped ratchet model provide a very good fit to the experimental data.Comment: 5 pages, 4 figure

Vacuum fluctuations of a scalar field near a reflecting boundary and their effects on the motion of a test particle

The contribution from quantum vacuum fluctuations of a real massless scalar field to the motion of a test particle that interacts with the field in the presence of a perfectly reflecting flat boundary is here investigated. There is no quantum induced dispersions on the motion of the particle when it is alone in the empty space. However, when a reflecting wall is introduced, dispersions occur with magnitude dependent on how fast the system evolves between the two scenarios. A possible way of implementing this process would be by means of an idealized sudden switching, for which the transition occurs instantaneously. Although the sudden process is a simple and mathematically convenient idealization it brings some divergences to the results, particularly at a time corresponding to a round trip of a light signal between the particle and the wall. It is shown that the use of smooth switching functions, besides regularizing such divergences, enables us to better understand the behavior of the quantum dispersions induced on the motion of the particle. Furthermore, the action of modifying the vacuum state of the system leads to a change in the particle energy that depends on how fast the transition between these states is implemented. Possible implications of these results to the similar case of an electric charge near a perfectly conducting wall are discussed.Comment: 17 pages, 8 figure

Search for Associations Containing Young stars (SACY): Chemical tagging IC 2391 & the Argus association

We explore the possible connection between the open cluster IC 2391 and the unbound Argus association identified by the SACY survey. In addition to common kinematics and ages between these two systems, here we explore their chemical abundance patterns to confirm if the two substructures shared a common origin. We carry out a homogenous high-resolution elemental abundance study of eight confirmed members of IC 2391 as well as six members of the Argus association using UVES spectra. We derive spectroscopic stellar parameters and abundances for Fe, Na, Mg, Al, Si, Ca, Ti, Cr, Ni and Ba. All stars in the open cluster and Argus association were found to share similar abundances with the scatter well within the uncertainties, where [Fe/H] = -0.04 +/-0.03 for cluster stars and [Fe/H] = -0.06 +/-0.05 for Argus stars. Effects of over-ionisation/excitation were seen for stars cooler than roughly 5200K as previously noted in the literature. Also, enhanced Ba abundances of around 0.6 dex were observed in both systems. The common ages, kinematics and chemical abundances strongly support that the Argus association stars originated from the open cluster IC 2391. Simple modeling of this system find this dissolution to be consistent with two-body interactions.Comment: 17 pages, 7 figs, accepted for publication in MNRA

Deflection of (anti)ferromagnetic skyrmions at heterochiral interfaces

Devising magnetic nanostructures with spatially heterogeneous Dzyaloshinskii-Moriya interaction (DMI) is a promising pathway towards advanced confinement and control of magnetic skyrmions in potential devices. Here we discuss theoretically how a skyrmion interacts with a heterochiral interface using micromagnetic simulations and analytic arguments. We show that a heterochiral interface deflects the trajectory of ferromagnetic (FM) skyrmions, and that the extent of such deflection is tuned by the applied spin-polarized current and the difference in DMI across the interface. Further, we show that this deflection is characteristic for the FM skyrmion, and is completely absent in the antiferromagnetic (AFM) case. In turn, we reveal that the AFM skyrmion achieves much higher velocities than its FM counterpart, yet experiences far stronger confinement in nanoengineered heterochiral tracks, which reinforces AFM skyrmions as a favorable choice for skyrmion-based devices

Manipulation of Magnetic Skyrmions by Superconducting Vortices in Ferromagnet-Superconductor Heterostructures

Dynamics of magnetic skyrmions in hybrid ferromagnetic films harbors novel physical phenomena and holds promise for technological applications. In this work, we discuss the behavior of magnetic skyrmions when coupled to superconducting vortices in a ferromagnet-superconductor heterostructure. We use numerical simulations and analytic arguments to reveal broader possibilities for manipulating the skyrmion-vortex dynamic correlations in the hybrid system, that are not possible in its separated constituents. We explore the thresholds of particular dynamic phases, and quantify the phase diagram as a function of the relevant material parameters, applied current and induced magnetic torques. Finally, we demonstrate the broad and precise tunability of the skyrmion Hall-angle in presence of vortices, with respect to currents applied to either or both the superconductor and the ferromagnet within the heterostructure

Local mapping of dissipative vortex motion

We explore, with unprecedented single vortex resolution, the dissipation and motion of vortices in a superconducting ribbon under the influence of an external alternating magnetic field. This is achieved by combing the phase sensitive character of ac-susceptibility, allowing to distinguish between the inductive-and dissipative response, with the local power of scanning Hall probe microscopy. Whereas the induced reversible screening currents contribute only inductively, the vortices do leave a fingerprint in the out-of-phase component. The observed large phase-lag demonstrates the dissipation of vortices at timescales comparable to the period of the driving force (i.e. 13 ms). These results indicate the presence of slow microscopic loss mechanisms mediated by thermally activated hopping transport of vortices between metastable states.Comment: 5 pages, 2 figure

Estrutura populacional de Ilex paraguariensis St. Hil. (Aquifoliaceae) em fragmentos de floresta ombrófila mista.

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