Bose-glass signatures in bulk YBa2Cu3O7−δ with periodic array of nanoscale twin boundaries

• Published in: Superconductor science & technology Vol. 19; no. 7; pp. S472 - S477
• Main Authors: Shlyk, L, Nenkov, K, Krabbes, G, Fuchs, G, Mickel, C, Rellinghaus, B
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: IOP Publishing 01.07.2006
• ISSN: 0953-2048; 1361-6668
• DOI: 10.1088/0953-2048/19/7/S10

A periodic array of nanoscale twin boundaries (TBs) was formed inside melt-processed YBa2Cu3O7-delta (YBCO) with Ru additions. The pinning efficiency of the resulting material is strongly modified in the presence of such disorder. The arrangement of the regular TBs along the c-axis has a strong influence on the irreversibility line and critical current density. We found a characteristic kink at Bcr = 2.75 T on the c-axis irreversibility line, indicative of correlated disorder. The field tilt angle below which pinning by the TB is effective is found to be ~40 deg . Detailed investigations of glassy dynamics show that the TB structure that appears will inhibit the motion of vortices in the variable-range-hopping regime below the effective matching field. We have attempted to reconcile our data with the predictions of the Bose-glass model for correlated disorder.