Flux cutting in high- $T_c$ superconductors

Journal Article · Thu Jan 01 00:00:00 EST 2015 · Physical Review. B, Condensed Matter and Materials Physics

DOI:https://doi.org/10.1103/PhysRevB.91.014516· OSTI ID:1356652

Vlasko-Vlasov, V.; Koshelev, A.; Glatz, A.; Phillips, C.; Welp, U.; Kwok, W.

We performed magneto-optical study of flux distributions in a YBCO crystal under various applied crossed- field orientations to elucidate the complex nature of magnetic flux cutting in superconductors. Our study reveals unusual vortex patterns induced by the interplay between flux-cutting and vortex pinning. We observe strong flux penetration anisotropy of the normal flux B⊥ in the presence of an in-plane field H|| and associate the modified flux dynamics with staircase structure of tilted vortices in YBCO and the flux-cutting process. We demonstrate that flux-cutting can effectively delay vortex entry in the direction transverse to H||. Finally, we elucidate details of the vortex-cutting and reconnection process using time-dependent Ginzburg-Landau simulations.

• Research Organization: Argonne National Lab. (ANL), Argonne, IL (United States)
• Sponsoring Organization: USDOE Office of Science - Office of Basic Energy Sciences - Materials Sciences and Engineering Division
• DOE Contract Number: AC02-06CH11357
• OSTI ID: 1356652
• Journal Information: Physical Review. B, Condensed Matter and Materials Physics, Vol. 91, Issue 1; ISSN 1098-0121
• Publisher: American Physical Society (APS)
• Country of Publication: United States
• Language: English