Direct observation of rectified motion of vortices by Lorentz microscopy

摘要

We have investigated the vortex dynamics for the ‘ratchet’ operation in a niobium superconductor via a direct imaging of Lorentz microscopy. We directly observe one-directional selective motion of field-gradient-driven vortices along fabricated channels. This results from the rectification of vortices in a spatially asymmetric potential under the oscillating magnetic field in a temporally symmetric manner. Based on the observation of the individual motion of vortices, we clarify the elementary process involved in this rectification.