Hall noise and transverse freezing in driven vortex lattices

TL;DR

This paper investigates the dynamical phase transitions in driven vortex lattices in superconducting thin films, revealing transitions from plastic to smectic flow and to a frozen transverse solid through noise measurements.

Contribution

It identifies two distinct dynamical phase transitions in vortex lattices driven by external forces, characterized by changes in noise and vortex motion.

Findings

Transition from plastic to smectic flow at Fp with isotropic noise

Sharp transition to a frozen transverse solid at Ft with reduced Hall noise

Observation of localized vortex motion in the transverse direction

Abstract

We study driven vortices lattices in superconducting thin films. Above the critical force $F_c$ we find two dynamical phase transitions at $F_p$ and $F_t$, which could be observed in simultaneous noise measurements of the longitudinal and the Hall voltage. At $F_p$ there is a transition from plastic flow to smectic flow where the voltage noise is isotropic (Hall noise = longitudinal noise) and there is a peak in the differential resistance. At $F_t$ there is a sharp transition to a frozen transverse solid where the Hall noise falls down abruptly and vortex motion is localized in the transverse direction.