Transport properties of a Wigner crystal in one- and two-dimensional asymmetric periodic potentials: Wigner crystal diode

We study the transport properties of a Wigner crystal in one- and two-dimensional asymmetric periodic potentials. We show that the Aubry transition takes place above a certain critical amplitude of potential with the sliding and pinned phase below and above the transition. Due to the asymmetry the Aubry pinned phase is characterized by the diode charge transport of the Wigner crystal. We argue that the recent experimental observations of Aubry transition with cold ions and colloidal monolayers can be extended to asymmetric potentials making it possible to observe a Wigner crystal diode with these physical systems and electrons on liquid helium.