Travelling waves in a drifting flux lattice

TL;DR

This paper derives equations for a moving vortex lattice in a superconductor, revealing stable wave-like excitations caused by strain-dependent mobility, which can be observed with advanced microscopy.

Contribution

It introduces a novel theoretical framework for vortex lattice dynamics, showing the existence of strain-induced waves without inertia or pinning effects.

Findings

Vortex lattice is linearly stable during motion.

Long-wavelength excitations are supported by strain-dependent mobility.

Waves travel at a few micrometers per second, observable via microscopy.

Abstract

Starting from the time-dependent Ginzburg-Landau (TDGL) equations for a type II superconductor, we derive the equations of motion for the displacement field of a moving vortex lattice without inertia or pinning. We show that it is linearly stable and, surprisingly, that it supports wavelike long-wavelength excitations arising not from inertia or elasticity but from the strain-dependent mobility of the moving lattice. It should be possible to image these waves, whose speeds are a few \mu m/s, using fast scanning tunnelling microscopy.