Vortex frequency locking and Shapiro steps in superconductor open nanotubes

authored by: Igor Bogush, Vladimir M. Fomin, Oleksandr V. Dobrovolskiy
Abstract: The movement of magnetic flux quanta (Abrikosov vortices) in superconductors leads to dissipation and is influenced by various ordering effects arising from vortex-vortex, vortex-defect, and vortex-edge interactions. Under combined dc and ac stimuli, when the distance traveled by fluxons during an ac cycle corresponds to an integer multiple of the vortex lattice period, the superconductor's current-voltage (I-V) curve displays synchronization (Shapiro) steps. However, in planar constrictions, frequency-locking effects rely on a perfectly ordered vortex lattice and are typically observed when periodic vortex pinning arrays dominate over intrinsic uncorrelated disorder. Here, we propose 3D superconducting open nanotubes as systems free of periodic disorder, where the I-V curves are expected to display pronounced Shapiro steps. Using the time-dependent Ginzburg-Landau equation, we attribute the predicted effect to a reduction in the dimensionality of vortex motion. Namely, rolling a planar film into a tube causes the 2D vortex array, which initially moves throughout the film, to evolve into quasi-1D vortex chains that are restricted to areas where the normal component of the magnetic field is near its maximum. The discussed effects are relevant for superconducting devices, where vortex nucleation frequency and voltage stabilization by an external ac stimulus can enhance their operation.
External Organisation(s): Technische Universität Braunschweig
Leibniz Institute for Solid State and Materials Research Dresden (IFW)
Moldova State University
Type: Article
Journal: Physical Review B
Volume: 111
ISSN: 2469-9950
Publication date: 09.06.2025
Publication status: Published
Peer reviewed: Yes
ASJC Scopus subject areas: Electronic, Optical and Magnetic Materials, Condensed Matter Physics
Electronic version(s): https://doi.org/10.1103/PhysRevB.111.214510 (Access: Unknown)

BibTeX

@article{a04c0ee57ce54370bbc26aa841b731aa,
title = "Vortex frequency locking and Shapiro steps in superconductor open nanotubes",
abstract = "The movement of magnetic flux quanta (Abrikosov vortices) in superconductors leads to dissipation and is influenced by various ordering effects arising from vortex-vortex, vortex-defect, and vortex-edge interactions. Under combined dc and ac stimuli, when the distance traveled by fluxons during an ac cycle corresponds to an integer multiple of the vortex lattice period, the superconductor's current-voltage (I-V) curve displays synchronization (Shapiro) steps. However, in planar constrictions, frequency-locking effects rely on a perfectly ordered vortex lattice and are typically observed when periodic vortex pinning arrays dominate over intrinsic uncorrelated disorder. Here, we propose 3D superconducting open nanotubes as systems free of periodic disorder, where the I-V curves are expected to display pronounced Shapiro steps. Using the time-dependent Ginzburg-Landau equation, we attribute the predicted effect to a reduction in the dimensionality of vortex motion. Namely, rolling a planar film into a tube causes the 2D vortex array, which initially moves throughout the film, to evolve into quasi-1D vortex chains that are restricted to areas where the normal component of the magnetic field is near its maximum. The discussed effects are relevant for superconducting devices, where vortex nucleation frequency and voltage stabilization by an external ac stimulus can enhance their operation.",
author = "Igor Bogush and Fomin, {Vladimir M.} and Dobrovolskiy, {Oleksandr V.}",
note = "Publisher Copyright: {\textcopyright} 2025 authors. Published by the American Physical Society. Published by the American Physical Society under the terms of the {"}https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/{"}Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International license. Further distribution of this work must maintain attribution to the author(s) and the published article's title, journal citation, and DOI.",
year = "2025",
month = jun,
day = "9",
doi = "10.1103/PhysRevB.111.214510",
language = "English",
volume = "111",
journal = "Physical Review B",
issn = "2469-9950",
publisher = "American Physical Society",
number = "21",
}