Displacement Profile of Charge Density Waves and Domain Walls at Critical Depinning

ORAL

Abstract

The influence of a strong surface potential on the critical depinning of an elastic system driven in a random medium is considered. If the surface potential prevents depinning completely the elastic system shows a parabolic displacement profile. Its curvature C exhibits at zero temperature a pronounced rhombic hysteresis curve of width $2f_c$ with the bulk depinning threshold $f_c$. The hysteresis disappears at non-zero temperatures if the driving force is changed adiabatically. If the surface depins by the applied force or thermal creep, C is reduced with increasing velocity. The results apply, e.g., to driven magnetic domain walls, flux-line lattices and charge-density waves.

Authors

  • Thomas Nattermann

    University of Cologne

  • Andreas Glatz

    University of Cologne