The Role of Splayed Disorder and Channel Flow on the Dynamics of Driven 3D Vortices

We present the results of three-dimensional molecular dynamics simulations of vortices which indicate that, for B greater than the matching field, the enhanced pinning effectiveness of splayed columnar defects relative to vertical columnar defects can be explained in terms of the existence or absence of channels through which the vortices can flow without encountering defects.