First-Order Melting of a Moving Vortex Lattice: Effects of Disorder

TL;DR

This paper investigates the melting behavior of a moving vortex lattice under disorder using numerical simulations, revealing a first-order phase transition and an anisotropic moving glass phase.

Contribution

It demonstrates that a first-order melting transition occurs in a driven vortex lattice with disorder, even when the equilibrium transition is continuous.

Findings

First-order phase transition observed in moving vortex lattice with disorder.

Low temperature phase identified as an anisotropic moving glass.

Transition persists despite large disorder levels.

Abstract

We study the melting of a moving vortex lattice through numerical simulations with the current driven 3D XY model with disorder. We find that there is a first-order phase transition even for large disorder when the corresponding equilibrium transition is continuous. The low temperature phase is an anisotropic moving glass.