103 research outputs found
Ray optics in flux avalanche propagation in superconducting films
Experimental evidence of wave properties of dendritic flux avalanches in
superconducting films is reported. Using magneto-optical imaging the
propagation of dendrites across boundaries between a bare NbN film and areas
coated by a Cu-layer was visualized, and it was found that the propagation is
refracted in full quantitative agreement with Snell's law. For the studied film
of 170 nm thickness and a 0.9 mkm thick metal layer, the refractive index was
close to n=1.4. The origin of the refraction is believed to be caused by the
dendrites propagating as an electromagnetic shock wave, similar to damped modes
considered previously for normal metals. The analogy is justified by the large
dissipation during the avalanches raising the local temperature significantly.
Additional time-resolved measurements of voltage pulses generated by segments
of the dendrites traversing an electrode confirm the consistency of the adapted
physical picture.Comment: 4 pages, 4 figure
Nonlocal electrodynamics of normal and superconducting films
Electrically conducting films in a time-varying transverse applied magnetic field are considered. Their behavior is strongly influenced by the self-field of the induced currents, making the electrodynamics nonlocal, and consequently difficult to analyze both numerically and analytically. We present a formalism which allows many phenomena related to superconducting and Ohmic films to be modeled and analyzed. The formalism is based on the Maxwell equations and a material current-voltage characteristics, linear for normal metals and nonlinear for superconductors, plus a careful account of the boundary conditions. For Ohmic films, we consider the response to a delta function source-field turned on instantly. As one of few problems in nonlocal electrodynamics, this has an analytical solution, which we obtain in both Fourier and real space. Next, the dynamical behavior of a square superconductor film during ramping up of the field, and subsequently returning to zero, is treated numerically. Then, this remanent state is used as initial condition for triggering thermomagnetic avalanches. The avalanches tend to invade the central part where the density of trapped flux is largest, forming dendritic patterns in excellent agreement with magneto-optical images. Detailed profiles of current and flux density are presented and discussed. Finally, the formalism is extended to multiply connected samples, and numerical results for a patterned superconducting film, a ring with a square lattice of antidots, are presented and discusse
Scaling Behavior of Quasi-One-Dimensional Vortex Avalanches in Superconducting Films
Scaling behaviour of dynamically driven vortex avalanches in superconducting
YBaCuO films deposited on tilted crystalline
substrates has been observed using quantitative magneto-optical imaging. Two
films with different tilt angles are characterized by the probability
distributions of avalanche size in terms of the number of moving vortices. It
is found in both samples that these distributions follow power-laws over up to
three decades, and have exponents ranging between 1.0 and 1.4. The
distributions also show clear finite-size scaling, when the system size is
defined by the depth of the flux penetration front -- a signature of
self-organized criticality. A scaling relation between the avalanche size
exponent and the fractal dimension, previously derived theoretically from
conservation of the number of magnetic vortices in the stationary state and
shown in numerical simulations, is here shown to be satisfied also
experimentally.Comment: 7 pages, 5 figure
Force measurements of a superconducting-film actuator for a cryogenic interferometric gravitational-wave detector
We measured forces applied by an actuator with a YBCO film at near 77 K for
the Large-scale Cryogenic Gravitational-wave Telescope (LCGT) project. An
actuator consisting of both a YBCO film of 1.6 micrometers thickness and 0.81
square centimeters area and a solenoid coil exerted a force of up to 0.2 mN on
a test mass. The presented actuator system can be used to displace the mirror
of LCGT for fringe lock of the interferometer.Comment: 9 pages, 3 figure
Transport spin polarisation in SrRuO3 measured through Point Contact Andreev reflection
We report a study in which Andreev reflection using a Nb point contact is
used to measure the transport spin polarisation of the 4d itinerant ferromagnet
SrRuO3. By performing the study in high quality thin films with residual
resistivities less than 7micro-ohm-cm, we ensure that the study is done in the
ballistic limit, a regime which is difficult to reach in oxide ferromagnets.
The degree of transport spin polarisation that we find is comparable to that of
the hole doped rare-earth manganites. We conclude that the large transport spin
polarisation results mainly from a difference in the Fermi velocities between
the majority and minority spin channels in this material.Comment: Text and 2 Figure
Magnetic-field and current-density distributions in thin-film superconducting rings and disks
We show how to calculate the magnetic-field and sheet-current distributions
for a thin-film superconducting annular ring (inner radius a, outer radius b,
and thickness d<<a) when either the penetration depth obeys lambda < d/2 or, if
lambda > d/2, the two-dimensional screening length obeys Lambda = 2 lambda^2/d
<< a for the following cases: (a) magnetic flux trapped in the hole in the
absence of an applied magnetic field, (b) zero magnetic flux in the hole when
the ring is subjected to an applied magnetic field, and (c) focusing of
magnetic flux into the hole when a magnetic field is applied but no net current
flows around the ring. We use a similar method to calculate the magnetic-field
and sheet-current distributions and magnetization loops for a thin,
bulk-pinning-free superconducting disk (radius b) containing a dome of magnetic
flux of radius a when flux entry is impeded by a geometrical barrier.Comment: 10 pages, 13 figure
Thin superconducting disk with B-dependent Jc: Flux and current distributions
The critical state in a superconducting thin circular disk with an arbitrary
magnetic field dependence of the critical sheet current, Jc(B), is analyzed.
With an applied field Ba perpendicular to the disk, a set of coupled integral
equations for the flux and current distributions is derived. The equations are
solved numerically, and flux and current profiles are presented graphically for
several commonly used Jc(B) dependences. It is shown that for small Ba the flux
penetration depth can be described by an effective Bean model with a
renormalized Jc entering the leading term. We argue that these results are
qualitatively correct for thin superconductors of any shape. The results
contrast the parallel geometry behavior, where at small Ba the B-dependence of
the critical current can be ignored.Comment: RevTeX, 7 pages including 8 figure
Symmetry of the remanent state flux distribution in superconducting thin strips: Probing the critical state
The critical-state in a thin strip of YBaCuO is studied by magneto-optical
imaging. The distribution of magnetic flux density is shown to have a specific
symmetry in the remanent state after a large applied field. The symmetry was
predicted [PRL 82, 2947 (1999)] for any Jc(B), and is therefore suggested as a
simple tool to verify the applicability of the critical-state model. At large
temperatures we find deviations from this symmetry, which demonstrates
departure from the critical-state behavior. The observed deviations can be
attributed to an explicit coordinate dependence of since both a surface
barrier, and flux creep would break the symmetry in a different way.Comment: 5 pages including 5 eps figures, submitted to PR
History effects and pinning regimes in solid vortex matter
We propose a phenomenological model that accounts for the history effects
observed in ac susceptibility measurements in YBa2Cu3O7 single crystals [Phys.
Rev. Lett. 84, 4200 (2000) and Phys. Rev. Lett. 86, 504 (2001)]. Central to the
model is the assumption that the penetrating ac magnetic field modifies the
vortex lattice mobility, trapping different robust dynamical states in
different regions of the sample. We discuss in detail on the response of the
superconductor to an ac magnetic field when the vortex lattice mobility is not
uniform inside the sample. We begin with an analytical description for a simple
geometry (slab) and then we perform numerical calculations for a strip in a
transverse magnetic field which include relaxation effects. In calculations,
the vortex system is assumed to coexist in different pinning regimes. The
vortex behavior in the regions where the induced current density j has been
always below a given threshold (j_c^>) is described by an elastic Campbell-like
regime (or a critical state regime with local high critical current density,
j_c^>). When the VS is shaken by symmetrical (e.g. sinusoidal) ac fields, the
critical current density is modified to j_c^) at
regions where vortices have been forced to oscillate by a current density
larger than j_c^>. Experimentally, an initial state with high critical current
density (j_c^>) can be obtained by zero field cooling, field cooling (with no
applied ac field) or by shaking the vortex lattice with an asymmetrical (e.g.
sawtooth) field. We compare our calculations with experimental ac
susceptibility results in YBa2Cu3O7 single crystals.Comment: 11 pages, 7 figures. To be published in PR
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