Enhancement of mobilities in a pinned multidomain crystal

Gwennou Coupier (1) , Michel Saint-Jean (1) , Claudine Guthmann (1)

1 MSC - Matière et Systèmes Complexes

Mobility properties inside and around degenerate domains of an elastic lattice partially pinned on a square array of traps are explored by means of a fully controllable model system of macroscopic particles. We focus on the different configurations obtained for filling ratios equal to 1 or 2 when the pinning strength is lowered. These theoretically expected but never observed configurations are degenerated, which implies the existence of a multidomain crystal. We show that the distinction between trapped and untrapped particles that is made in the case of strong pinning is not relevant for such a weaker pinning. Indeed, one ought to distinguish between particles inside or around the domains associated with positional degeneracies. The possible consequences on the depinning dynamics of the lattice are discussed.

Domains: Biomechanics [physics.med-ph]

Gwennou Coupier, Michel Saint-Jean, Claudine Guthmann. Enhancement of mobilities in a pinned multidomain crystal. Physical Review B: Condensed Matter and Materials Physics (1998-2015), 2007, 75 (22), pp.224103. ⟨10.1103/PhysRevB.75.224103⟩. ⟨hal-00169695⟩