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Scanning SQUID Study of Vortex Manipulation by Local Contact
Published on: February 1, 2017
Surface melting of the vortex lattice
A De Col1, G I Menon, V B Geshkenbein
1Theoretische Physik, ETH-Zürich, Switzerland.
Physical Review Letters
|May 23, 2006
Summary
The surface of layered superconductors influences vortex lattice melting. A quasiliquid layer forms, causing asymmetric hysteresis observed in experiments.
Area of Science:
- Condensed matter physics
- Materials science
Background:
- Layered superconductors exhibit complex phase transitions.
- Vortex lattice melting is a key phenomenon in type-II superconductors.
- Surface effects can significantly alter bulk material properties.
Purpose of the Study:
- To investigate the impact of an (ab) surface on the melting transition of the pancake-vortex lattice.
- To explore the different melting scenarios (discontinuous and continuous) and their phase diagram regions.
- To understand the origin of asymmetric hysteretic behavior in layered superconductors.
Main Methods:
- Density functional theory approach.
- Theoretical modeling of vortex lattice behavior.
- Phase diagram analysis.
Main Results:
- Predicted both discontinuous and continuous surface melting.
- The continuous melting scenario dominates the low-field phase diagram.
- A quasiliquid layer forms below the bulk melting temperature.
- Inhibition of a superheated solid phase.
Conclusions:
- The (ab) surface plays a crucial role in the melting dynamics of the pancake-vortex lattice.
- The formation of a quasiliquid layer explains the observed asymmetric hysteresis.
- Theoretical predictions align with experimental observations of hysteretic behavior.
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