5 research outputs found
Critical Currents and Vortex States at Fractional Matching Fields in Superconductors with Periodic Pinning
We study vortex states and dynamics in 2D superconductors with periodic
pinning at fractional sub-matching fields using numerical simulations. For
square pinning arrays we show that ordered states form at 1/1, 1/2, and 1/4
filling fractions while only partially ordered states form at other filling
fractions, such as 1/3 and 1/5, in agreement with recent imaging experiments.
For triangular pinning arrays we observe matching effects at filling fractions
of 1/1, 6/7, 2/3, 1/3, 1/4, 1/6, and 1/7. For both square and triangular
pinning arrays we also find that, for certian sub-matching fillings, vortex
configurations depend on pinning strength. For weak pinning, ordering in which
a portion of the vortices are positioned between pinning sites can occur.
Depinning of the vortices at the matching fields, where the vortices are
ordered, is elastic while at the incommensurate fields the motion is plastic.
At the incommensurate fields, as the applied driving force is increased, there
can be a transition to elastic flow where the vortices move along the pinning
sites in 1D channels and a reordering transition to a triangular or distorted
triangular lattice. We also discuss the current-voltage curves and how they
relate to the vortex ordering at commensurate and incommensurate fields.Comment: 14 figure