Vortex pinning in the frozen vortex lattice in YBa{sub 2}Cu{sub 3}O{sub 7{minus}{ital x}} films

Journal Article · Sun Mar 31 23:00:00 EST 1996 · Physical Review, B: Condensed Matter

DOI:https://doi.org/10.1103/PhysRevB.53.9453· OSTI ID:280207

Xenikos, D G; Cunningham, A E; Lemberger, T R ^[1]; Hou, L; McElfresh, M ^[2]

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1. Department of Physics, Ohio State University, Columbus, Ohio 43210 (United States)
2. Department of Physics, Purdue University, West Lafayette, Indiana 47907 (United States)

The inductance of vortices {ital L}{sub {ital V}}({ital T},{ital B}) in YBa{sub 2}Cu{sub 3}O{sub 7{minus}{ital x}} films is studied for temperature 8{lt}{ital T}{lt}85 K, and magnetic field 0{lt}{ital B}{lt}6 T with the goal of identifying the morphology of the vortex pinning sites and the type of the glass phase below the vortex lattice melting transition {ital B}{sub {ital g}}({ital T}). The key feature that distinguishes point, linear, and planar pinning sites is how rapidly {ital L}{sub {ital V}} increases when thresholds in {ital T} and {ital B} are crossed. We find that, below a threshold field {ital B}{sub {ital p}}({ital T}){lt}{ital B}{sub {ital g}}({ital T}), the effective pinning force on each vortex is independent of {ital B}. At {ital B}{sub {ital p}}{lt}{ital B}{lt}{ital B}{sub {ital g}}, {ital L}{sub {ital V}} increases as {ital B}{sup 2}, whereas at {ital B}{approx_equal}{ital B}{sub {ital g}}, {ital L}{sub {ital V}} diverges faster than {ital B}{sup 2} following a scaling law on {ital f}, consistent with a phase transition between a glass and a liquid vortex state. Although the value of the threshold field, {ital B}{sub {ital p}}{approx_equal}8(1{minus}{ital T}/{ital T}{sub {ital C}}) T, is consistent with any type of pinning defect, the increase of {ital L}{sub {ital V}}{proportional_to}{ital B}{sup 2} for {ital B}{approx_gt}{ital B}{sub {ital p}} is much less rapid than predicted for collective pinning of vortices by point defects. Linear and planar defects are possible explanations, but the necessary theoretical calculations are currently absent. {copyright} {ital 1996 The American Physical Society.}

• OSTI ID: 280207
• Journal Information: Physical Review, B: Condensed Matter, Journal Name: Physical Review, B: Condensed Matter Journal Issue: 14 Vol. 53; ISSN PRBMDO; ISSN 0163-1829
• Country of Publication: United States
• Language: English

Related Subjects

66 PHYSICS
BARIUM OXIDES
COPPER OXIDES
FLUX-LINE LATTICES
HIGH-TC SUPERCONDUCTORS
MAGNETIC FLUX
MIXED STATE
PHASE TRANSFORMATIONS
PINNING
SCALING LAWS
SUPERCONDUCTING FILMS
TEMPERATURE DEPENDENCE
TEMPERATURE RANGE 0000-0013 K
TEMPERATURE RANGE 0013-0065 K
TEMPERATURE RANGE 0065-0273 K
YTTRIUM OXIDES