Single vortices observed as they enter NbSe2_2

We observe single vortices as they penetrate the edge of a superconductor using a high-sensitivity magneto-optical microscope. The vortices leap across a gap near the edge, a distance that decreases with increasing applied field and sample thickness. This behaviour can be explained by the combined effect of the geometrical barrier and bulk pinning.Comment: 2 pages, 1 figure, M2S-Rio proceeding

Experimental study of the correlation length of critical-current fluctuations in the presence of surface disorder: Probing vortex long-range interactions

We report on critical currents and voltage noise measurements in Niobium strips in the superconducting state, in the presence of a bulk vortex lattice ($B < B_{C2}$) and in the surface superconducting state ($B_{c2}< B < B_{C3}$). For homogeneous surfaces, the correlation length of the current fluctuations can be associated with the electromagnetic skin depth of vortex superficial instabilities. The modification of the surface state by means of low energy irradiation induces a strong modification of the critical current and of the noise. The appearance of a corner frequency in the spectral domain can be linked with the low wave-vectors of the artificial corrugation. Since this latter occurs only for $B < B_{C2}$, we propose that the long-range interactions allow the correlation length to extend up to values imposed by the surface topography.Comment: accepted for publication in PR

Edge and Bulk Transport in the Mixed State of a Type-II Superconductor

By comparing the voltage-current (V-I) curves obtained before and after cutting a sample of 2H-NbSe2, we separate the bulk and edge contributions to the transport current at various dissipation levels and derive their respective V- I curves and critical currents. We find that the edge contribution is thermally activated across a current dependent surface barrier. By contrast the bulk V-I curves are linear, as expected from the free flux flow model. The relative importance of bulk and edge contributions is found to depend on dissipation level and sample dimensions. We further show that the peak effect is a sharp bulk phenomenon and that it is broadened by the edge contribution

Vortex avalanches and self organized criticality in superconducting niobium

In 1993 Tang proposed [1] that vortex avalanches should produce a self organized critical state in superconductors, but conclusive evidence for this has heretofore been lacking. In the present paper, we report extensive micro-Hall probe data from the vortex dynamics in superconducting niobium, where a broad distribution of avalanche sizes scaling as a power-law for more than two decades is found. The measurements are combined with magneto-optical imaging, and show that over a widely varying magnetic landscape the scaling behaviour does not change, hence establishing that the dynamics of superconducting vortices is a SOC phenomenon.Comment: 3 pages + 4 figures, a reference added, citation typos fixe

Evolution of the fishtail-effect in pure and Ag-doped MG-YBCO

We report on magnetic measurements carried out in a textured YBa$_2$Cu$_3$O$_{7-\delta}$ and YBa$_2$(Cu$_{1-x}$Ag$_x$)$_3$O$_{7-\delta}$ (at $x \approx$ 0.02) crystals. The so-called fishtail-effect (FE) or second magnetization peak has been observed in a wide temperature range 0.4~$<T/T_c<$~0.8 for $\textbf{H}\parallel c$. The origin of the FE arises for the competition between surface barrier and bulk pinning. This is confirmed in a non-monotonically behavior of the relaxation rate $R$. The value $H_{max}$ for Ag-doped crystals is larger than for the pure one due to the presence of additional pinning centers, above all on silver atoms.Comment: 6 pages, 6 figure

Abrupt Transition between Thermally-Activated Relaxation and Quantum Tunneling in a Molecular Magnet

We report Hall sensor measurements of the magnetic relaxation of Mn$_{12}$ acetate as a function of magnetic field applied along the easy axis of magnetization. Data taken at a series of closely-spaced temperatures between 0.24 K and 1.4 K provide strong new evidence for an abrupt ``first-order'' transition between thermally-assisted relaxation and magnetic decay via quantum tunneling.Comment: 4 pages, including 7 figure

Dynamic transition in driven vortices across the peak effect in superconductors

We study the zero-temperature dynamic transition from the disordered flow to an ordered flow state in driven vortices in type-II superconductors. The transition current $I_{p}$ is marked by a sharp kink in the $V(I)$ characteristic with a concomitant large increase in the defect concentration. On increasing magnetic field $B$, the $I_{p}(B)$ follows the behaviour of the critical current $I_{c}(B)$. Specifically, in the peak effect regime $I_{p}(B)$ increases rapidly along with $I_{c}$. We also discuss the effect of varying disorder strength on $I_{p}$.Comment: 4 pages, 4 figure

Flow Induced Organization and Memory of a Vortex Lattice

We report on experiments probing the evolution of a vortex state in response to a driving current in 2H-NbSe$_2$ crystals. By following the vortex motion with fast transport measurements we find that the current enables the system to reorganize and access new configurations. During this process the system exhibits a long-term memory: if the current is turned off the vortices freeze in place remembering their prior motion. When the current is restored the motion resumes where it stopped. The experiments provide evidence for a dynamically driven structural change of the vortex lattice and a corresponding dynamic phase diagram that contains a previously unknown regime where the critical current can be either $increased$ or $decreased$ by applying an appropriate driving current.Comment: 5 pages, 4figure

Peak effect, vortex-lattice melting-line and order - disorder transition in conventional and high-T superconductors

We investigate the order - disorder transition line from a Bragg glass to an amorphous vortex glass in the H-T phase diagram of three-dimensional type-II superconductors with account of both pinning-caused and thermal fluctuations of the vortex lattice. Our approach is based on the Lindemann criterion and on results of the collective pinning theory and generalizes previous work of other authors. It is shown that the shapes of the order - disorder transition line and the vortex lattice melting curve are determined only by the Ginzburg number, which characterizes thermal fluctuations, and by a parameter which describes the strength of the quenched disorder in the flux-line lattice. In the framework of this unified approach we obtain the H-T phase diagrams for both conventional and high-Tc superconductors. Several well-known experimental results concerning the fishtail effect and the phase diagram of high-Tc superconductors are naturally explained by assuming that a peak effect in the critical current density versus H signalizes the order - disorder transition line in superconductors with point defects.Comment: 15 pages including 11 figure