Self-consistent theory of dynamic melting of a vortex lattice

TL;DR

This paper develops a self-consistent, field-theoretic model to analyze the dynamic melting transition of vortex lattices in type II superconductors, aligning well with recent experiments and simulations.

Contribution

It introduces a novel self-consistent, functional approach to accurately predict vortex lattice melting, improving upon perturbation theory methods.

Findings

Quantitative phase diagram of dynamic melting transition

Agreement with recent phenomenological theories and experimental data

Exact averaging over quenched disorder in the model

Abstract

The dynamic melting of vortex lattices in type II superconductors is considered. A field-theoretic formulation of the pinning problem allows the average over the quenched disorder to be performed exactly. A self-consistent theory is constructed using a functional method for the effective action, allowing a determination of the pinning force and the vortex fluctuations. The phase diagram for the dynamic melting transition is determined numerically. In contrast to perturbation theory, the self-consistent theory is in quantitative agreement with the prediction of a recent phenomenological theory and simulations and experimental data.