Description of Shapiro steps on the potential energy surface of a Frenkel–Kontorova model Part I: The chain in a variable box

Abstract

AbstractWe explain the vibrations of a Frenkel–Kontorova (FK) model under Shapiro steps by the action of an external alternating force. We demonstrate Shapiro steps for a case with soft ‘springs’ between an 8-particles FK chain. Shapiro steps start with a single jump over the highest $$\hbox {SP}_4$$ SP 4 in the global valley through the PES. They finish with doubled, and again doubled oscillations. We study in this part I a traditional FK model with periodic boundary conditions.