Dynamic phases of vortex–antivortex molecules in a Corbino disk with magnetic dipole on top

Abstract

We performed a molecular dynamics study of vortex–antivortex motion in a superconducting disk with a magnetic dot on top, in the Corbino disk geometry. In this system, vortices and antivortices are forced to move in opposite azimuthal directions by a radially applied current. The dot is magnetized out of plane in order to stabilize composite vortex–antivortex configurations, with vortices closer to the center of the disk and antivortices near to the disk edge. We observe that the interplay between the spatially inhomogeneous current distribution, the screening currents induced by the dipole, and the attractive vortex–antivortex (v–av) interaction result in different dynamical phases. At low current values, antivortices – which are distributed at outer rings – remain bounded to vortices at inner rings and the whole configuration rotates rigidly. Above a threshold current, vortices and antivortices unbind and move at different angular velocities in a highly correlated way. Finally, at very strong drive, vortex–antivortex attraction is overhelmed by the external current Lorentz force, causing them to move in opposite directions.