Vortex lattice ordering in the flux flow state of Nb thin films

We measure current–voltage characteristics at high driving currents for different magnetic fields and temperatures in Nb thin films of rather strong pinning. In a definite range of the B–T phase diagram we find that a current induced transition occurs in the flux flow motion of the vortex lattice, namely a dynamic ordering (DO). Contrary to the case of weaker pinning materials, DO is observed only at low fields, due to the stronger intrinsic disorder that can deform plastically the moving vortex lattice even for small applied fields.     

A possible role of amorphous regions at grain-boundary vertex points as linear defects on flux pinning in MgB2 films with columnar grain structure

We measured the transport properties of MgB₂ films having columnar grain structure with their axis normal to the substrate. When an external magnetic field was applied parallel to the grain axis, an enhanced critical current density has been observed, and this result has been ascribed to flux pinning induced by grain boundaries. The shape of the angular dependence of critical current density and its magnetic field dependence showed a quite similar resemblance to those of YBa₂Cu₃O_x films containing columnar defects, implying a possible existence of linear defects in MgB₂ films of columnar structure. We propose that the amorphous regions at the vertex points of three or more grain boundaries observed in microstructural studies correspond to the linear defects and these linear defects anchor the end points of the flux line dislocations of Frank-Read sources, by which the shear in the flux line lattice is actuated. This assumed mechanism is found to reasonably explain the magnetic field dependence of the flux pinning force density of MgB₂ films with columnar grain structure.     

Dynamics of two-dimensional vortex system in a strong square pinning array at the second matching field

We study the dynamics of a two-dimensional vortex system in a strong square pinning array at the second matching field. Two kinds of depinning behaviors, a continuous depinning transition at weak pinning and a discontinuous one at strong pinning, are found. We show that the two different kinds of vortex depinning transitions can be identified in transport as a function of the pinning strength and temperature. Moreover, interstitial vortex state can be probed from the transport properties of vortices.     

Vortex pinning in superconducting Nb thin films deposited on nanoporous alumina templates

We present a study of magnetization and transport properties of superconducting Nb thin films deposited on nanoporous aluminium oxide templates. Periodic oscillations in the critical temperature vs. field, matching effects in fields up to 700 mT and strongly enhanced critical currents were observed. These fields are considerably higher than those typical for periodic pinning arrays made by lithographic techniques, which reflects the benefits of nanostructuring superconductors by using self-organized growth. This method provides a periodic pinning potential with sub-100 nm spacing between the pinning centers, which enhances vortex pinning in broad field and temperature ranges.     

Vortex pinning: A probe for nanoscale disorder in iron-based superconductors

The pinning of quantized flux lines, or vortices, in the mixed state is used to quantify the effect of impurities in iron-based superconductors (IBS). Disorder at two length scales is relevant in these materials. Strong flux pinning resulting from nm-scale heterogeneity of the superconducting properties leads to the very disordered vortex ensembles observed in the IBS, and to the pronounced maximum in the critical current density j_c at low magnetic fields. Disorder at the atomic scale, most likely induced by the dopant atoms, leads to “weak collective pinning” and a magnetic field-independent contribution j_c^coll. The latter allows one to estimate quasiparticle scattering rates.     

Effect of grain-boundary flux pinning in MgB2 with columnar structure

We studied the flux pinning properties by grain boundaries in MgB₂ films prepared by using a hybrid physical chemical vapor deposition method on the c-axis oriented sapphire substrates. All the films we report here had the columnar grains with the growth direction perpendicular to the substrates and the grain sizes in the range of a few hundred nanometers. At very low magnetic fields, no discernable grain-boundary (GB) pinning effect was observed in all measuring temperatures, but above those fields, the effect of GB flux pinning was observed as enhanced critical current densities (J_cs) and reduced resistances when an external magnetic field (B) was aligned parallel to the c-axis. We interpret the B dependence of J_c in the terms of flux line lattice shear inside the columnar grains activated by dislocations of Frank–Read source while the flux lines pinned by GB act as anchors for dislocations. Magnetic field dependence of flux pinning force density for B parallel to the c-axis was reasonably explained by the above model.     

Transport properties of nanoperforated Nb thin films

Porous silicon, obtained by electrochemical etching, has been used as a substrate for the growth of nanoperforated Nb thin films. The films, deposited by UHV magnetron sputtering, inherited from the Si substrates their structure, made of holes of 10 nm diameter and of 20 and 40 nm spacing, which provide an artificial pinning lattice. Commensurability effects between the Abrikosov vortex lattice and the artificial array of holes were investigated by transport measurements.     

Vortex washboard voltage noise in type-II superconductors

In order to characterize flux flow through disordered type-II superconductors, we investigate the effects of columnar and point defects on the vortex velocity/voltage power spectrum in the driven non-equilibrium steady state. We employ three-dimensional Metropolis Monte Carlo simulations to measure relevant physical observables including the force-velocity/current-voltage (I-V) characteristics, vortex spatial arrangement and structure factor, and mean flux line radius of gyration.Our simulation results compare well to earlier findings and physical intuition.We focus specifically on the voltage noise power spectra in conjunction with the vortex structure factor in the presence of weak columnar and point pinning centers. We investigate the vortex washboard noise peak and associated higher harmonics,and show that the intensity ratios of the washboard harmonics are determined bythe strength of the material defects rather than the type of pins present.Through varying columnar defect lengths and pinning strengths as well as magnetic flux density we further explore the effect of the material defects on vortex transport.It is demonstrated that the radius of gyration displays quantitatively uniquefeatures that depend characteristically on the type of material defects presentin the sample.     

Artificial pinning in thick YBCO films: Pinning potential and c-axis correlation

We have introduced artificial pinning centres in thick (>1 μm) YBCO films grown by Pulsed Laser Deposition using substrate decoration, quasi-multilayers, and target doping approaches. We have found that the frequency dependence of critical current density is consistent with a logarithmic dependence of pinning potential on current density. For most of materials used as nano-dots, artificially-induced pinning centres have a larger potential than natural ones. From angle-dependent in-field transport measurements and from Transmission Electron Microscopy we have found evidence of c-axis correlated pinning centres.     

Direct visualization of the vortex distributions in a superconducting film with a Penrose array of magnetic pinning centers: Symmetry induced giant vortex state

Using scanning Hall probe microscopy a direct visualization of the flux distribution in a Pb film covering a fivefold Penrose array of Co dots is obtained. We demonstrate that stable vortex configurations can be found for fields H ∼ 0.8H₁, H₁ and 1.6H₁, where H₁ corresponds to one flux quantum per pinning site. The vortex pattern at 0.8H₁ corresponds to one vacancy in one of the vertices of the thin tiles whereas at 1.6H₁ the vortex structure can be associated with one interstitial vortex inside each thick tile. Strikingly, for H = 1.6H₁ interstitial and pinned vortices arrange themselves in ring-like structures (“vortex corrals”) which favor the formation of a giant vortex state at their center.     

Enhanced flux pinning in pulsed laser deposited Y Ba2Cu3O7−δ : BaTiO3 nanocomposite thin films

The effect of incorporation of BaTiO₃(BTO) nanoparticles on the flux pinning properties of pulsed laser deposited YBCO:BTO thin films was studied. Substantial increase in the critical current density (J_C) and the pinning force density (F_p) of the nanocomposite thin films was observed. At 77 K, and zero applied magnetic field, the value of J_C for YBCO and YBCO:BTO (2%) thin films were 2.93 MA/cm² and 6.43 MA/cm², respectively. At the same temperature and an applied magnetic field of 4 T, the value of J_C increases from 3.6×10⁴ A/cm² for YBCO thin film to 2.7×10⁵ A/cm² for YBCO:BTO (2%) nanocomposite thin film. The study of temperature and field dependence of of YBCO and YBCO:BTO thin films indicates similar type of pinning. The lattice mismatch between YBCO and BTO seems to introduce more defects resulting in the improvement of flux pinning properties.     

Enhanced pinning of superconducting vortices at circular magnetic dots in the magnetic-vortex state

Low-temperature magnetic force microscopy (LT-MFM) was used to study the distribution of superconducting vortices in Nb above a square array of 1 μm-sized circular ferromagnetic dots in a magnetic-vortex state. The force that the MFM tip exerts on the individual vortex in the depinning process was used to estimate the spatial modulation of the pinning potential. It was found, that the superconducting vortices which are preferably located on top of the Py dots experience a pinning force, about 15 times stronger as compared to the pinning force in the pure Nb film. This strong pinning exceeds the repulsive interaction between the superconducting vortices and allows vortex clusters to be located above the dots.     

Field induced flux pinning in Nd1+xBa2−xCu3O7−δ single crystal

The flux pinning behavior of a Nd_1+xBa_2−xCu₃O_7−δ (Nd123) single crystal, which exhibited a peak effect, has been studied by monitoring the time decay of the magnetic moment. The apparent pinning energy (U₀^*) was deduced from flux creep data on the basis of the Anderson-Kim model. The magnetic field dependence of U₀^* showed maxima at peak fields which depended on the temperatures, in a similar manner to those of critical current densities. In addition, the temperature dependence of U₀^* showed several features. To explain the increase in U₀^* with the field as well as its temperature and field dependence, we made a numerical calculation by introducing an additional pinning energy which increased with increasing field. The results are in good agreement with the experimental data, especially at temperatures above 60 K, where the contribution of field induced pinning centers is believed to be dominant.     

Commensurability effects in magnetic properties of superconducting Nb thin films with periodic submicrometric pores

Pinning properties in 100 nm thick continuous and porous superconducting Nb films are examined by ac susceptibility and dc magnetization measurements. The Nb film was deposited on a smooth Si substrate, while the porous film, Nb_P, was deposited on an anodized Al oxide substrate. Pores or “antidots” 40 nm in diameter, 100 nm apart, form a triangular array. The porous film presents commensurate or matching field effects for applied magnetic fields where the magnetic flux threading each unit cell is an integer number of the flux quantum, where ac shielding capability and dc diamagnetic magnetization show an abrupt increase. The response to ac fields as a function of temperature and dc field provided a way to determine that Nb_P sample has higher pinning than the continuous one, and that T_C suppression due to fluxoid quantization is not relevant for the investigated temperature range.     

Commensurability effects in the critical forces of a superconducting film with Kagomé pinning array at submatching fields

Using molecular dynamics simulations, we find the commensurability force peaks in a two-dimensional superconducting thin-film with a Kagomé pinning array. A transport force is applied in two mutually perpendicular directions, and the magnetic field is increased up to the first matching field. Usually the condition to have pronounced force peaks in systems with periodic pinning is associated to the rate between the applied magnetic field and the first matching field, it must be an integer or a rational fraction. Here, we show that another condition must be satisfied, the vortex ground state must be ordered. Our calculations show that the pinning size and strength may dramatically change the vortex ground state. Small pinning radius and high values of pinning strength may lead to disordered vortex configurations, which fade the critical force peaks. The critical forces show anisotropic behavior, but the same dependence on pinning strength and radius is observed for both driven force directions. Different to cases where the applied magnetic field is higher than the first matching field, here the depinning process begins with vortices weakly trapped on top of a pinning site and not with interstitial vortices. Our results are in good agreement with recent experimental results.     

Why pinning by surface irregularities can explain the peak effect in transport properties and neutron diffraction results in NbSe2 and Bi- 2212 crystals?

The existence of a peak effect in transport properties (a maximum of the critical current as function of magnetic field) is a well-known but still intriguing feature of Type II superconductors such as NbSe₂ and Bi-2212. Using a model of pinning by surface irregularities in anisotropic superconductors, we have developed a calculation of the critical current which allows estimating quantitatively the critical current in both the high critical current phase and the low critical current phase. The only adjustable parameter of this model is the angle of the vortices at the surface. The agreement between the measurements and the model is really very impressive. In this framework, the anomalous dynamical properties close to the peak effect is due to coexistence of two different vortex states with different critical currents. Recent neutron diffraction data in NbSe₂ crystals in the presence of transport current support this point of view.     

掺杂Y2O3和BaCeO3提高MOD-YBCO超导性能的研究

本文通过在前驱液中添加过量钇盐和铈的有机盐,采用三氟乙酸盐-金属有机沉积法(TFA-MOD) 在铝酸镧单晶基体上制备了含有纳米氧化钇和纳米铈酸钡的YBCO薄膜. 与纯YBCO薄膜相比,掺杂Y₂O₃/BaCeO₃的YBCO膜的临界转变温度几乎保持不变,为91 K左右. 而掺杂Y₂O₃/BaCeO₃的YBCO膜的临界电流密度达到5.0 MA/cm² (77 K, 0T), 是纯YBCO膜临界电流密度的1.5倍.薄膜中的Y₂O₃和BaCeO₃可能在YBCO内部起到了 有效的钉扎磁通作用. 关键词： 钇钡铜氧薄膜 2O₃和纳米BaCeO₃')" href="#">纳米Y₂O₃和纳米BaCeO₃ 磁通钉扎 三氟乙酸盐-金属有机沉积     

Sliding Abrikosov lattice in a superconductor with a regular array of artificial pinning centers: AC conductivity and criticality at small frequencies

Dynamics of the flux lattice in the mixed state of strongly type-II superconductor near the upper critical field subjected to AC field and interacting with a periodic array of short range pinning centers is considered. The superconductor in a magnetic field in the absence of thermal fluctuations on is described by the time-dependent Ginzburg–Landau equations. For a special case of the δ-function shaped pinning centers and for pinning array commensurate with the Abrikosov lattice (so that vortices outnumber pinning centers) an analytic expression or the AC conductivity is obtained. It is found that below a certain critical pinning strength and for sufficiently low frequencies there exists a sliding Abrikosov lattice, which vibrates nearly uniformly despite interactions with the pinning centers. At very small frequencies the conductivity diverges at the critical pinning strength.     

Anomalous angular dependence of critical current in niobium films

An anomalous angular dependence of the critical current is observed in niobium films. This phenomenon manifests itself in the fact that, under small intensities of the external magnetic field, the critical current attains its maximum in a slightly tilted magnetic field. It is found that the position of the maximum depends on the external magnetic field, as well as on the initial conditions under which the samples were kept. A theoretical model is proposed to explain the results obtained. This model takes into account the effect of diamagnetic properties, pinning of vortices, and the initial conditions on the vortex system in Nb films.     

The behavior of the critical current density below and above the first matching field in superconductors with periodic square arrays of pinning sites

We have studied the effect of the applied magnetic field on critical depinning force at zero and finite temperatures and for several values of pinning strength. This was achieved by conducting extensive series of molecular dynamic simulations on driven vortex lattices interacting with periodic square arrays of pinning sites. We have found that the critical depinning force decreases as the applied magnetic field is increased. We have also observed two distinct behaviors of dependence of the critical depinning force on the applied magnetic field below and above the first matching filed.