Structural transitions and dynamical regimes for directional locking of vortices and colloids driven over periodic substrates

We examine collective dynamical locking effects for superconducting vortices and colloids interacting with square and triangular substrate arrays under a slowly rotated dc drive. A rich variety of lattice configurations associated with a series of steps in the velocity-force curves occur during the locking transitions. These include triangular, square, smectic, and disordered particle arrangements that can be identified using the structure factor. We show that the step widths vary with the ratio of the number of particles to the number of pinning sites. Unlike a static system, where matching effects occur at simple integer commensuration ratios, we find dynamical commensuration effects that arise when an integer number of particle chains flow between rows of pins. We identify two distinct types of locking as a function of substrate strength, distinguished by whether the particles flow along or between the pinning rows.