Dynamical commensuration effect in a two-dimensional Yukawa solid modulated by periodic substrates

TL;DR

This study uses simulations to explore how a two-dimensional dusty plasma solid's depinning force varies nonmonotonically with the commensuration ratio, revealing a dynamical commensuration effect linked to structural order.

Contribution

It uncovers the nonmonotonic behavior of the critical transverse depinning force and its relation to dynamical commensurate and incommensurate conditions in a modulated 2D Yukawa solid.

Findings

Critical depinning force shows maxima at commensurate ratios.

Particle trajectories are more ordered at commensurate conditions.

Structural stability correlates with the nonmonotonic force variation.

Abstract

Transverse depinning dynamics of a periodic-square-substrate modulated two-dimensional dusty plasma solid driven by a constant force in the longitudinal direction are investigated using Langevin dynamical simulations. During the increase of the commensuration ratio (the number ratio of particles to substrate potential wells), the nonmonotonic variation trend of the critical transverse depinning force is observed. It is found that the local maxima and minima of the critical transverse depinning force just correspond to the dynamical commensurate and incommensurate conditions, respectively. The dynamical commensurate effect is also clearly exhibited from the stable one-dimensional channel particle trajectories and the highly ordered structure, however, both the particle trajectories and the structure are more disordered under the incommensurate conditions. The nonmonotonic variation of the critical transverse depinning force is attributed to the stability of the lattice structure under various commensuration ratios.