The vortex physics which comes from the vortex core

A theoretical view of vortex core states and of their effects on physics of vortices in clean s- and d-wave-type II superconductors is presented based on a semi-classical picture of a vortex core as an Andreev potential well containing many quasiparticle states. We discuss the density of states, the vortex dissipation, Hall effect, and the vortex mass. The dynamic characteristics are determined by relaxation of core excitations driven by a moving vortex. In a d-wave superconductor, gap nodes make the core states more extended and introduce novel features into thermodynamics and kinetics of vortices.     

Dependence of switching process on the perpendicular magnetic anisotropy constant in P-MTJ

We investigate the dependence of the switching process on the perpendicular magnetic anisotropy(PMA) constant in perpendicular spin transfer torque magnetic tunnel junctions(P-MTJs) using micromagnetic simulations. It is found that the final stable states of the magnetization distribution of the free layer after switching can be divided into three different states based on different PMA constants: vortex, uniform, and steady. Different magnetic states can be attributed to a trade-off among demagnetization, exchange, and PMA energies. The generation of the vortex state is also related to the non-uniform stray field from the polarizer, and the final stable magnetization is sensitive to the PMA constant. The vortex and uniform states have different switching processes, and the switching time of the vortex state is longer than that of the uniform state due to hindrance by the vortex.     

Thin ferromagnetic nanodisk in transverse magnetic field

The magnetization of a ferromagnetic nanodisk is studied using micromagnetic modeling. It is demonstrated that, under an external magnetic field applied perpendicular to the disk surface, magnetic phase transitions can occur between uniform states, between uniform and vortex states, and between vortex states with different directions of polarization. A simple variation model is proposed describing the observed magnetic states quantitatively.     

Experimental distinction between giant vortex and multivortex states in mesoscopic superconducting squares

We study the distinction between giant vortex states and multivortex states in a thin mesoscopic superconducting square by using the temperature dependence of the vortex expulsion fields. We find that the results agree well with those obtained from the multiple-small-tunnel-junction method, indicating that the distinction by the temperature dependence of the vortex expulsion fields is applicable to superconducting squares.     

Controlling double vortex states in low-dimensional dipolar systems

The reversal process of the chirality of each opposite vortex belonging to a double vortex state in ferromagnetic hysterons, via the application of in-plane magnetic fields, is reported. Simulations reveal that such a process involves the formation of four intermediate states, including original ones. Hysteresis loops can occur only in a counterclockwise fashion because of one of these intermediate states. Double vortex states can also be controlled by electric fields in ferroelectric nanostructures of different shapes, but with some key differences with respect to the ferromagnetic case.     

Local density of states of vortex state in mesoscopic superconductors

We study local density of states (LDOS) of vortex state in mesoscopic square superconductors with Bogoliubov-de Gennes (BdG) equation. We develop one effective numerical method based on the finite element method to self-consistently solve the BdG equation. The LDOS for various vortex states is obtained. Our results about the single vortex show that the LDOS has the particle-hole asymmetry and the results for one- and two-vortex state agree very well with the experimental observation. Besides, we predict the LDOS of multi-vortex states, which is crucial for the further STM/STS experimental study of vortex state in mesoscopic superconducting system.     

Quantum phases of vortices in rotating Bose-Einstein condensates

We investigate the ground states of weakly interacting bosons in a rotating trap as a function of the number of bosons, N, and the average number of vortices, N(V). We identify the filling fraction nu identical with N/N(V) as the parameter controlling the nature of these states. We present results indicating that, as a function of nu, there is a zero temperature phase transition between a triangular vortex lattice phase, and strongly correlated vortex liquid phases. The vortex liquid phases appear to be the Read-Rezayi parafermion states.     

Shadow on the wall cast by an Abrikosov vortex

At the surface of a d-wave superconductor, a zero-energy peak in the quasiparticle spectrum can be observed. This peak appears due to Andreev bound states and is maximal if the nodal direction of the d-wave pairing potential is perpendicular to the boundary. We examine the effect of a single Abrikosov vortex in front of a reflecting boundary on the zero-energy density of states. We can clearly see a splitting of the low-energy peak and therefore a suppression of the zero-energy density of states in a shadowlike region extending from the vortex to the boundary. This effect is stable for different models of the single Abrikosov vortex, for different mean free paths and also for different distances between the vortex center and the boundary. This observation promises to have also a substantial influence on the differential conductance and the tunneling characteristics for low excitation energies.     

Resonant formation and control of 2D symmetric vortex waves

It is shown that m-fold symmetric vortex waves in two dimensions ( V states) preserve their functional form in a weak straining flow having appropriate symmetry, but arbitrary time dependence. This phenomenon is used in driving the V states into a highly nonlinear excitation by subjecting a circular vortex patch to rotation and strain with oscillating strain rate and varying the rotation angular velocity. The effect is due to autoresonance in the system as the excited vortex state boundary self-adjusts its aspect ratio to synchronize with the external flow.     

Ordered states and structural transitions in a system of Abrikosov vortices with periodic pinning

A system of Abrikosov vortices in a quasi-two-dimensional HTSC plate is considered for various periodic lattices of pinning centers. The magnetization and equilibrium configurations of the vortex density for various values of external magnetic field and temperature are calculated using the Monte Carlo method. It is found that the interaction of the vortex system with the periodic lattice of pinning centers leads to the formation of various ordered vortex states through which the vortex system passes upon an increase or a decrease in the magnetic field. It is shown that ordered vortex states, as well as magnetic field screening processes, are responsible for the emergence of clearly manifested peaks on the magnetization curves. Extended pinning centers and the effect of multiple trapping of vortices on the behavior of magnetization are considered. Melting and crystallization of the vortex system under the periodic pinning conditions are investigated. It is found that the vortex system can crystallize upon heating in the case of periodic pinning.     

Collective multivortex states in periodic arrays of traps

We examine the vortex states in a 2D superconductor interacting with a square array of pinning sites. As a function of increasing pinning size or strength we find a series of novel phases including multivortex and composite superlattice states such as aligned dimer and trimer configurations at individual pinning sites. Interactions of the vortices give rise to an orientational ordering of the internal vortex structures in each pinning site. We also show that these vortex states can give rise to a multistage melting behavior.     

Reliable control of magnetic vortex chirality in asymmetrically optimized magnetic nanodisk

Magnetic vortex has attracted attention in the field of information storage because their topological spin structures with chiral bistable states. If the vortex core polarity and vortex circulation sense can be controlled simultaneously in a nanodisk, which will be more beneficial to realize the multi-bit ultrahigh density storage. In this paper, a reliable control scheme for magnetic vortex chirality is proposed by optimizing the structure of Pac-Man-like nanodisk. The results show that the polarity and circulation of the vortex can be controlled simultaneously by changing the direction of the global magnetic field, and even the chiral states of the vortex can be determined by detecting the stray field distribution on the surface of the nanodisk. The optimized Pac-Man-like nanodisk provide an experimental method for the control and detection of magnetic vortex chirality, which will be beneficial to the realization of multi-bit magnetic storage or magnetic logic technology in the future.     

Vortex phase qubit: generating arbitrary, counterrotating, coherent superpositions in Bose-Einstein condensates via optical angular momentum beams

We propose a scheme for the generation of arbitrary coherent superpositions of vortex states in Bose-Einstein condensates (BEC) using the orbital-angular-momentum states of light. We devise a scheme to generate coherent superpositions of two such counterrotating states of light using well-known experimental techniques. We show that a specially designed Raman scheme allows for transfer of the optical vortex-superposition state onto an initially nonrotating BEC. This creates an arbitrary and coherent superposition of a vortex and antivortex pair in the BEC. The ideas presented here could be extended to generate entangled vortex states, design memories for the orbital-angular-momentum states of light, and perform other quantum information tasks. Applications to inertial sensing are also discussed.     

Wigner function and the entanglement of a quantized Bessel-Gaussian vortex state of a quantized radiation field

A new kind of quantum non-Gaussian state with a vortex structure,termed a Bessel-Gaussian vortex state,is constructed,which is an eigenstate of the sum of squared annihilation operators a2+b2.The Wigner function of the quantum vortex state is derived and exhibits negativity which is an indication of nonclassicality.It is also found that a quantized vortex state is always in entanglement.And a scheme for generating such quantized vortex states is proposed.     

Vortex-core structure in neutral fermion superfluids with population imbalance

Quantized vortex-core structure is theoretically investigated in fermion superfluids with population imbalance for two atom species of neutral atom clouds near a Feshbach resonance. In contrast with the vortex core in balance case where the quantum depletion makes a vortex visible through the density profile measurement, the vortex core is filled in and becomes less visible because the quantized discrete bound states are occupied exclusively by the majority species. Yet it is shown that the core can be visible through the minority density profile experiment using phase contrast imaging, revealing an interesting opportunity to examine low-lying fermionic core bound states unexplored so far.     

High-order polarization vortex spatial solitons

We investigate the formation of high-order polarization vortex spatial solitons. The high-order polarization vortex solitons have novel polarization states which are different from fundamental polarization vortex solitons and have rotational symmetry only in intensity. It is proved that the polarization vortex solitons cannot carry vortex phase. The existence domain and dynamical characteristic of these high-order polarization vortex solitons in Bessel optical lattices are discussed in detail.     

Direct observation of geometrical phase transitions in mesoscopic superconductors by scanning tunneling microscopy

Using scanning tunneling microscopy, we mapped the distribution of the local density of states in a single crystal superconductor heterostructure with an array of submicron normal metal islands. We observe the coexistence of strongly interacting multiquanta vortex lattice with interstitial Abrikosov vortices. The newly formed composite magnetic flux structure undergoes a series of phase transitions between different topological configuration states. The vortex configuration states are strongly dependent on the number of flux quanta and the nanoscale confinement architecture of the mesoscopic superconductor. Here, we present images of vortex phase transitions due to confinement effects when the number of magnetic flux quanta in the system changes. The vortex dynamics in these systems could serve as a model for behavior of confined many-body systems when the number of particles changes.     

Bound and continuum states of a vortex line in a pure type-II superconductor

The Bogoliubov equations for the quasi-particle excitations of an isolated vortex line in a pure type-II superconductor are solved by means of a method due to Bardeenet al. The low lying energy levels of the bound states are found to have the form of Landau levels where the effective field is determined by the pair potential and the magnetic field in the core region of the vortex. From the solutions of the continuum states of high energy simple expressions for the phase shifts are derived. The contributions of the continuum states to the pair potential and the current density are calculated. The pair potential is shown to tend to the BCS gap parameter, and thus to be serf-consistent, at large distances from the vortex axis.     

Transfer and storage of vortex states in light and matter waves

We theoretically explore the transfer of vortex states between atomic Bose-Einstein condensates and optical pulses using ultraslow and stopped light techniques. We find shining a coupling laser on a rotating two-component ground state condensate with a vortex lattice generates a probe laser field with optical vortices. We also find that optical vortex states can be robustly stored in the atomic superfluids for times, in Rb-87 condensates, limited only by the ground state coherence time.     

Midgap spectrum of the fermion–vortex system

I study the midgap spectrum of the fermion–vortex system in two spatial dimensions. The existence of bound states, in addition to the zero modes found by Jackiw and Rossi, is established. For a singly quantized vortex, I present complete analytical solutions in terms of generalized Laguerre polynomials in the opposite limits of vanishing and large vortex core size. There is an infinite number of such bound states, with a spectrum that is, when squared, given by, respectively, the Coulomb potential and the isotropic harmonic oscillator. Possible experimental signatures of this spectrum in condensed-matter realizations of the system are pointed out.