Flow Induced Organization and Memory of a Vortex Lattice
-
Z. L. Xiao and E. Y. Andrei
-
Department of Physics and Astronomy, Rutgers University,
Piscataway, New Jersey 08855
-
M. J. Higgins
We report on the evolution of a vortex state in responseto a
driving current in 2H-NbSe2 crystals. By using fast
transport measurements we find that the current enables the system
to reorganize and access new configurations. During this process
the system exhibits a long-term memory: if the current is turned
off the vortices freeze in place remembering their prior motion.
When the current is restored the motion resumes where it stopped.
The experiments provide evidence for a current driven structural change
of the vortex lattice and a corresponding dynamic phase diagram
that contains a previously unknown regime where the critical current
can be either increased or decreased by applying an
appropriate current. ©1999
The American Physical Society