Year: 2002
Type: article
Abstract: Using Langevin simulations, we examine driven colloids interacting with quenched disorder. For weak substrates the colloids form an ordered state and depin elastically. For increasing substrate strength, we find a sharp crossover to inhomogeneous depinning and a substantial increase in the depinning force, analogous to the peak effect in superconductors. The velocity versus driving force curve shows criticality at depinning, with a change in scaling exponent occurring at the order to disorder crossover. Upon application of a sudden pulse of driving force, pronounced transients appear in the disordered regime which are due to the formation of long-lived colloidal flow channels.
Source: Physical Review Letters
Authors: C. Reichhardt, C. J. Olson
Institution: Los Alamos National Laboratory
Language: English
Subfield: Condensed Matter Physics
Field: Physics and Astronomy
Domain: Physical Sciences
Open Access status: green
OpenAlex ID: W2070670860