Magnetic force microscopy on high-[ital T][sub [ital c]] superconductors

Journal Article · Sun May 01 04:00:00 EDT 1994 · Journal of Vacuum Science and Technology. B, Microelectronics Processing and Phenomena; (United States)

DOI:https://doi.org/10.1116/1.587292· OSTI ID:6715966

Moser, A; Hug, H J; Fritz, O; Parashikov, I; Guentherodt, H ^[1]; Wolf, T ^[2]

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1. Institut fuer Physik Universitaet Basel, Klingelbergstrasse 82, CH-4056 Basel (Switzerland)
2. Kernforschungszentrum Karlsruhe Institut fuer Technische Physik, D-7500 Karlsruhe (Germany)

We demonstrate that magnetic force microscopy is able to detect the superconducting state and to distinguish between the Meissner and Shubnikov phase of a high temperature superconductor. In the Meissner phase we observe an increasing, repulsive force with decreasing tip-to-sample distance. The force depends on the screening current density and therefore on the London penetration depth. Indeed, we detect a decrease in the maximum force as the temperature increases. In the Shubnikov phase a different behavior is observed. If the tip is approached staircase-like to a superconductor the repulsive force first increases and then decays rapidly. The superconductor has reacted to the increased stray field of the tip by readjusting the vortex structure to lower the total energy. The experiments are discussed in relation to existing theoretical predictions. We point out that magnetic force microscopy might become an important tool to directly observe the vortex structure and its complex phase transitions.

• OSTI ID: 6715966
• Journal Information: Journal of Vacuum Science and Technology. B, Microelectronics Processing and Phenomena; (United States), Journal Name: Journal of Vacuum Science and Technology. B, Microelectronics Processing and Phenomena; (United States) Vol. 12:3; ISSN JVTBD9; ISSN 0734-211X
• Country of Publication: United States
• Language: English

Related Subjects

36 MATERIALS SCIENCE
360207* -- Ceramics
Cermets
& Refractories-- Superconducting Properties-- (1992-)
ALKALINE EARTH METAL COMPOUNDS
BARIUM COMPOUNDS
BARIUM OXIDES
CHALCOGENIDES
COPPER COMPOUNDS
COPPER OXIDES
CRYSTALS
HIGH-TC SUPERCONDUCTORS
MAGNETIC FLUX
MEISSNER-OCHSENFELD EFFECT
MICROSCOPY
MONOCRYSTALS
OXIDES
OXYGEN COMPOUNDS
PENETRATION DEPTH
SUPERCONDUCTORS
TEMPERATURE DEPENDENCE
TEMPERATURE RANGE
TEMPERATURE RANGE 0065-0273 K
TRANSITION ELEMENT COMPOUNDS
YTTRIUM COMPOUNDS
YTTRIUM OXIDES