Technique for measuring the elementary pinning force in thin films

Journal Article · Wed Feb 01 04:00:00 EST 1989 · Phys. Rev. B: Condens. Matter; (United States)

DOI:https://doi.org/10.1103/PhysRevB.39.2054· OSTI ID:6489297

Allen, L H; Claassen, J H

We have developed a contactless technique which utilizes the ultrahigh sensitivity of a superconducting quantum interference device (SQUID) to measure the temperature dependence of the elementary pinning force of superconducting thin films near their transition temperature. Pinning from the edges of the film does not contribute to our measurement, and we have detected pinning forces as small as 10/sup -6/ dyn/cm. Initial measurements on niobium films indicate that the pinning force for films with grain boundary pinning sites is larger and has a steeper temperature dependence than films for which the pinning centers are crystal dislocations. The f/sub p/ values that we measure for niobium are smaller than those reported recently for lead-bismuth films by Hyun et al.

• Research Organization: Naval Research Laboratory, Washington, D.C. 20375
• OSTI ID: 6489297
• Journal Information: Phys. Rev. B: Condens. Matter; (United States), Journal Name: Phys. Rev. B: Condens. Matter; (United States) Vol. 39:4; ISSN PRBMD
• Country of Publication: United States
• Language: English

Related Subjects

420201 -- Engineering-- Cryogenic Equipment & Devices
656100* -- Condensed Matter Physics-- Superconductivity
71 CLASSICAL AND QUANTUM MECHANICS
GENERAL PHYSICS
75 CONDENSED MATTER PHYSICS
SUPERCONDUCTIVITY AND SUPERFLUIDITY
CRYSTAL STRUCTURE
ELECTRONIC EQUIPMENT
ELEMENTS
EQUIPMENT
FILMS
FLUXMETERS
GRAIN BOUNDARIES
MAGNETIC FLUX
MEASURING INSTRUMENTS
METALS
MICROSTRUCTURE
MICROWAVE EQUIPMENT
NIOBIUM
PHYSICAL PROPERTIES
SQUID DEVICES
SUPERCONDUCTING DEVICES
SUPERCONDUCTING FILMS
TEMPERATURE DEPENDENCE
THERMODYNAMIC PROPERTIES
TRANSITION ELEMENTS
TRANSITION TEMPERATURE