We present a simple laboratory experiment to illustrate some aspects of the soliton theory in discrete lattices with a system that models the dynamics of dislocations in a crystal or the properties of adsorbed atomic layers. The apparatus not only shows the role of the Peierls–Nabarro potential but also illustrates the hierarchy of depinning transitions and the importance of the collective motion in mass transport.
Topics
Laboratory procedures
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2000
American Association of Physics Teachers
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