Melting of "porous" vortex matter

Bitter decoration and magneto-optical studies reveal that in heavy-ion irradiated superconductors, a "porous" vortex matter is formed when vortices outnumber columnar defects. In this state ordered vortex crystallites are embedded in the "pores" of a rigid matrix of vortices pinn...

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Published inPhysical review letters Vol. 90; no. 8; p. 087004
Main Authors Banerjee, S S, Soibel, A, Myasoedov, Y, Rappaport, M, Zeldov, E, Menghini, M, Fasano, Y, de la Cruz, F, van der Beek, C J, Konczykowski, M, Tamegai, T
Format Journal Article
LanguageEnglish
Published United States 28.02.2003
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Summary:Bitter decoration and magneto-optical studies reveal that in heavy-ion irradiated superconductors, a "porous" vortex matter is formed when vortices outnumber columnar defects. In this state ordered vortex crystallites are embedded in the "pores" of a rigid matrix of vortices pinned on columnar defects. The crystallites melt through a first-order transition while the matrix remains solid. The melting temperature increases with density of columnar defects and eventually turns into a continuous transition. At high temperatures a sharp kink in the melting line is found, signaling an abrupt change from crystallite melting to melting of the rigid matrix.
ISSN:0031-9007
DOI:10.1103/PhysRevLett.90.087004