Vortex Softening: Origin of the second peak effect in Bi2_2Sr2_2CaCu2_2O8+δ_{8+\delta}

Transverse ac permeability measurements in Bi$_2$Sr$_2$CaCu$_2$O$_{8+\delta }$ single crystals at low fields and temperatures in a vortex configuration free of external forces show that the decrease of the critical current as measured by magnetization loops at the second peak effect is an artifact due to creep. On the other hand, the increase of critical current at the second peak is due to a genuine softening of the tilting elastic properties of vortices in the individual pinning regime that precedes the transition to a disorder state.Comment: 4 pages, 5 figures, RevTex, two column versio

Electron and Phonon Thermal Waves in Semiconductors: an Application to Photothermal Effects

The electron and phonon temperature distribution function are calculated in semiconductors. We solved the coupled one-dimensional heat-diffussion equations in the linear approximation in which the physical parameters on the sample are independent of the temperature. We also consider the heat flux at the surface of the semiconductor as a boundary condition for each electron and phonon systems instead of using a fixed temperature. From this, we obtain an expression for electron and phonon temperature respectively. The characterization of the thermal waves properties is duscussed and some practical procedures for this purpose provide us information about the electron and phonon thermal parameters.Comment: 12 pages, amstex and amssymb macro package (LaTeX2e edition

Phase Coherence Effects in the Vortex Transport Entropy

Nernst and electrical resistivity measurements in superconducting YBCO and BSCCO with and without columnar defects show a distinctive thermodynamics of the respective liquid vortex matter. At a field dependent high temperature region in the phase diagram the Nernst signal is independent of structural defects in both materials. At lower temperatures, in YBCO, defects contribute only to the vortex mobility and the transport entropy is that of a system of vortex lines. The transition to lower temperatures in BSCCO has a different origin, the maximum in the Nernst signal when decreasing temperature is not associated with transport properties but with the entropy behavior of pancake vortices in the presence of structural defects.Comment: 4 pages, 3 figures. Accepted for publication in Physical Review Letter

Opposite polarity field with convective downflow and its relation to magnetic spines in a sunspot penumbra

We discuss NICOLE inversions of Fe I 630.15 nm and 630.25 nm Stokes spectra from a sunspot penumbra recorded with the CRISP imaging spectropolarimeter on the Swedish 1-m Solar Telescope at a spatial resolution close to 0.15". We report on narrow radially extended lanes of opposite polarity field, located at the boundaries between areas of relatively horizontal magnetic field (the intra-spines) and much more vertical field (the spines). These lanes harbor convective downflows of about 1 km/s. The locations of these downflows close to the spines agree with predictions from the convective gap model (the "gappy penumbra") proposed six years ago, and more recent 3D MHD simulations. We also confirm the existence of strong convective flows throughout the entire penumbra, showing the expected correlation between temperature and vertical velocity, and having vertical RMS velocities of about 1.2 km/s.Comment: Accepted for publication in A&A (06-March-2013). Minor corrections made in this version