Controlling the Motion of Magnetic Flux Quanta

We study the transport of vortices in superconductors with triangular arrays of boomerang- or V-shaped asymmetric pinning wells, when applying an alternating electrical current. The asymmetry of the pinning landscape induces a very efficient “diode” effect, that allows the sculpting at will of the magnetic field profile inside the sample. We present the first quantitative study of magnetic “lensing” of fluxons inside superconductors. Our proposed vortex lens provides a near threefold increase of the vortex density at its “focus” regions. The main numerical features have been derived analytically.