Inclined-Field Structure, Morphology, and Pinning of the Vortex Lattice in Microtwinned YBa₂Cu₃O₇

Author

Bernhard Keimer
Fatih Dogan, Missouri University of Science and TechnologyFollow
Ilhan A. Aksay
Ross W. Erwin
Jeffrey W. Lynn
Ayhan Sarikaya

Abstract

A detailed small-angle neutron scattering study of the vortex lattice in a single crystal of YBa₂Cu₃O₇ was made for a field of 0.5 tesla inclined at angles between 0 and 80 degrees to the crystalline c axis. The vortex lattice is triangular for all angles, and for angles less than or equal to 70 degrees its orientation adjusts itself to maximize the pinning energy to densely and highly regularly spaced twin planes. These observations have important implications for the microscopic flux-pinning mechanism, and hence for the critical current achievable in YBa₂Cu₃O₇. For large angles (about 80 degrees) the vortex lattice consists of independent chains in the orientation predicted by anisotropic London theory.

Recommended Citation

B. Keimer et al., "Inclined-Field Structure, Morphology, and Pinning of the Vortex Lattice in Microtwinned YBa₂Cu₃O₇," Science, vol. 262, no. 5130, pp. 83 - 86, American Association for the Advancement of Science, Oct 1993.

Department(s)

Materials Science and Engineering

Keywords and Phrases

Copper oxides; Magnetic field effects; Neutron scattering; Twinning; Magnetic flux pinning; Magnetic vortex lattice; Microtwinned copper oxide crystals; Small-angle neutron scattering; Superconducting copper oxides; Yttrium barium cuprates; High temperature superconductors

International Standard Serial Number (ISSN)

0036-8075

Document Type

Article - Journal

Document Version

Citation

File Type

text

Language(s)

English

Rights

© 1993 American Association for the Advancement of Science, All rights reserved.

Publication Date

01 Oct 1993