Abstract

Critical Phenomena Near equilibrium phase transitions, physical systems that bear no resemblance to one another can behave in a very similar way. For example, thermodynamic functions follow the same scaling behavior in a magnetic transition as in the seemingly unrelated gas-liquid transition. Does such universality exist in nonequilibrium phase transitions? Poccia et al. fabricated a square array of superconducting islands on a metallic surface. They applied a magnetic field, which caused vortices to form in between the islands, and induced a transition from a state in which vortices were stuck to their positions to one where they were able to move. They observed the same scaling behavior that applies to some equilibrium transitions. ![Figure][1] Three-dimensional image of the dynamic resistance as a function of the driving current and the applied magnetic field CREDIT; POCCIA ET AL , Science , this issue p. [1202][2] [1]: pending:yes [2]: /lookup/doi/10.1126/science.1260507

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