https://doi.org/10.1140/epjb/s10051-021-00074-2
Regular Article - Solid State and Materials
Description of Shapiro steps on the potential energy surface of a Frenkel–Kontorova model Part I: The chain in a variable box
1
Mathematisches Institut, Universität Leipzig, PF 100920, 04009, Leipzig, Germany
2
Departament de Química Inorgànica i Orgànica, Secció de Química Orgànica, and Institut de Química Teòrica i Computacional, (IQTCUB), Universitat de Barcelona, Martí i Franquès 1, 08028, Barcelona, Spain
Received:
8
January
2021
Accepted:
2
March
2021
Published online:
22
March
2021
We 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 
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.
© The Author(s) 2021
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