Ac-driven vortex–antivortex dynamics in nanostructured superconductor-ferromagnetic hybrids

Abstract The dynamics of ac-driven vortices and antivortices in a superconducting film interacting with an array of magnetic dipoles on top is investigated via hybrid molecular dynamics-Monte Carlo simulations. The dipole array considered in this study is capable to stabilize in equilibrium vortex–antivortex pairs. The appearance of a net electric field out of the ac excitation demonstrates that this system behaves as a voltage rectifier. Because of the asymmetric nature of the effective pinning potential generated by the dipole array, the ac-driven vortices and antivortices are ratcheted in opposite directions, thereby contributing additively to the observed net voltage. In addition, for high frequency values, the dc electric field-ac amplitude curves present a series of steps. A careful analysis of the time series of the electric field and number of vortex–antivortex (v–av) pairs reveals that these steps are related to mode-locking between the drive frequency and the number of v–av creation-annihilation events.