Ignition of superconducting vortices by acoustic standing waves

TL;DR

This paper demonstrates that transverse acoustic standing waves in the GHz range can induce vortex nucleation in superconductors below the first critical field, with threshold parameters within experimental reach.

Contribution

It introduces a novel method of vortex nucleation using acoustic standing waves and calculates the threshold parameters needed for experimental realization.

Findings

Vortices can be nucleated by GHz-frequency sound waves.

Threshold parameters for vortex nucleation are within experimental feasibility.

Vortices can enter and exit the superconductor at sound frequency.

Abstract

Nucleation of vortices in a superconductor below the first critical field can be assisted by transverse sound in the GHz frequency range. Vortices will enter and exist the superconductor at the frequency of the sound. We compute the threshold parameters of the sound and show that this effect is within experimental reach.