Ratchet Effects for Vortices in Superconductors with Periodic Pinning Arrays

TL;DR

This paper demonstrates through simulations that vortices in superconductors with periodic pinning arrays exhibit a ratchet effect, resulting in a net dc drift under specific ac drive conditions that break reflection symmetry.

Contribution

It introduces a novel ratchet phenomenon for vortices driven by two perpendicular ac drives in periodic pinning arrays, revealing new transport behaviors.

Findings

Vortices can exhibit a net dc drift without a dc drive.

The ratchet effect depends on symmetry-breaking ac drives.

Novel transport phenomena are observed in vortex dynamics.

Abstract

Using numerical simulations we show that novel transport phenomena can occur for vortices moving in periodic pinning arrays when two external perpendicular ac drives are applied. In particular, we find a ratchet effect where the vortices can have a net dc drift even in the absence of a dc drive. This ratchet effect can occur for ac drives which create orbits that break one or more reflection symmetries.