Vortex pinning and non-Hermitian quantum mechanics

Journal Article · Wed Oct 01 04:00:00 EDT 1997 · Physical Review, B: Condensed Matter

DOI:https://doi.org/10.1103/PhysRevB.56.8651· OSTI ID:632628

Hatano, N ^[1]; Nelson, D R ^[1]

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1. Lyman Laboratory of Physics, Harvard University, Cambridge, Massachusetts 02138 (United States)

A delocalization phenomenon is studied in a class of non-Hermitian random quantum-mechanical problems. Delocalization arises in response to a sufficiently large constant imaginary vector potential. The transition is related to depinning of flux lines from extended defects in type-II superconductors subject to a tilted external magnetic field. The physical meaning of the complex eigenvalues and currents of the non-Hermitian system is elucidated in terms of properties of tilted vortex lines. The singular behavior of the penetration length describing stretched exponential screening of a perpendicular magnetic field (transverse Meissner effect), the surface transverse magnetization, and the trapping length is determined near the flux-line depinning point. {copyright} {ital 1997} {ital The American Physical Society}

• OSTI ID: 632628
• Journal Information: Physical Review, B: Condensed Matter, Journal Name: Physical Review, B: Condensed Matter Journal Issue: 14 Vol. 56; ISSN PRBMDO; ISSN 0163-1829
• Country of Publication: United States
• Language: English

Related Subjects

66 PHYSICS
MAGNETIC FLUX
MAGNETIZATION
MEISSNER-OCHSENFELD EFFECT
PENETRATION DEPTH
QUANTUM MECHANICS
TYPE-II SUPERCONDUCTORS
VORTICES