Continuous melting of a driven two-dimensional flux lattice with strong pins

TL;DR

This paper investigates the phase transition of a driven 2D vortex lattice with dense pins, revealing a continuous transition influenced by correlations in pseudo-random forces that affect dislocation unbinding.

Contribution

It introduces a mechanism involving correlated pseudo-random forces to explain the continuous crystal-liquid transition in driven 2D vortex lattices with strong pins.

Findings

Transition from crystal to liquid is continuous at intermediate inductions.

Correlations in pseudo-random forces prevent complete dislocation unbinding.

Proposes a key mechanism for the continuous transition in such systems.

Abstract

The phase diagram of a driven two-dimensional vortex lattice in the presence of dense quasi-point pins is investigated. The transition from the crystal to the liquid is found continuous at intermediate inductions. The correlations in the pseudo random force that allow for an uncomplete unbinding of the dislocations is proposed as a key mechanism to account for the continuous transition.