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Intrinsic pinning is caused by natural pinning centers that occur because of the modulation of the order parameter or weak superconducting layers. Early work has shown that intrinsic pinning generates a high pinning force and critical current density in some layered oxide superconductors. Studying the intrinsic pinning of superconductors is crucial for both fundamental studies and potential applications. Herein, we use torque magnetometry to study angle-resolved in-plane and out-of-plane magnetic torque for a series of high-quality FeSe$_1$$_-$$_x$S$_x$ single crystals. A fourfold torque signal was observed when the magnetic field was within the \textit{ab} plane. We interpret that this fourfold in-plane irreversible torque is from the intrinsic pinning due to combined effects of gap nodes/minimum and twin domains. Additionally, we attributed the observed out-of-plane torque peaks to intrinsic pinning due to the layered structure., Comment: 10 pages, 7 figures

The interplay between superconductivity and magnetism is an important subject in condensed matter physics. EuFe$_{2}$As$_{2}$-based iron pnictides could offer an interesting plateau to study their relationship that has attracted considerable attention. So far, two magnetic phase transitions were observed in EuFe$_{2}$As$_{2}$-based crystal, which were deemed to originate from the itinerant Fe moments ($\sim$ 190 K) and the localized Eu$^{2+}$ moments ($\sim$ 19 K), respectively. Here, we systematically studied the heat capacity for the EuFe$_{2}$(As$_{1-x}$P$_{x}$)$_{2}$ crystals with \textit{x} = 0.21 (optimally doped) and \textit{x} = 0.29 (overdoped). We have found two new magnetic orders in the superconducting state (ranging from 0.4 to 1.2 K) in the optimally doped crystal. As more P was introduced into the As site, one of the magnetic orders becomes absent in the overdoped crystal. Additionally, we observed strong field and orientation dependence in heat capacity. The present findings in EuFe$_{2}$(As$_{1-x}$P$_{x}$)$_{2}$ have detected the new low-temperature magnetic orders, which may originate from the localized Eu$^{2+}$ spins order or the spin reorientation., Comment: 14 pages, 12 figures

When exposed to high magnetic fields, certain materials manifest an exotic superconducting (SC) phase that has attracted considerable attention. A proposed explanation for the origin of the high-field SC phase is the Fulde-Ferrell-Larkin-Ovchinnikov (FFLO) state. This state is characterized by inhomogeneous superconductivity, where the Cooper pairs have finite center-of-mass momenta. Recently, the high-field SC phase was observed in FeSe, and it was deemed to originate from the FFLO state. Here, we synthesize FeSe single crystals with different levels of disorder. The level of disorder is expressed by the ratio of the mean free path to the coherence length and ranges between 35 and 1.2. The upper critical field \textit{B}$_{\rm{c}2}$ was obtained by both resistivity and magnetic torque measurements over a wide range of temperatures, which went as low as $\sim$0.5 K, and magnetic fields, which went up to $\sim$38 T along the \textit{c} axis and in the \textit{ab} plane. In the high-field region parallel to the \textit{ab} plane, an unusual SC phase was confirmed in all the crystals, and the phase was found to be robust against disorder. This result suggests that the high-field SC phase in FeSe is not a conventional FFLO state., Comment: 11 pages, 11 figures

We report on the combined experimental and theoretical analysis of the microwave-frequency electromagnetic response of BaFe2As2 single crystals with different substitutions: K in the Ba site (hole doping), Co in the Fe site (electron doping), and P in the As site (isovalent substitution). Measurements using a coplanar resonator technique lead to the experimental determination of the penetration depth and microwave conductivity as a function of temperature. The whole set of data is analyzed within a self-consistent three-band $s_{\pm}$-wave Eliashberg approach, able to account for all the main observed features in the different properties. Besides the validation of the model itself, the comparison between experiment and theory allows discussing the possible role of the Fe-As planes in defining the superconducting properties of these compounds, the relevance of coherence effects, and the presence of nodes in the superconducting order parameter., Comment: 11 pages, 7 figures

Majorana quasiparticles (MQPs) in condensed matter play an important role in strategies for topological quantum computing but still remain elusive. Vortex cores of topological superconductors may accommodate MQPs that appear as the zero-energy vortex bound state (ZVBS). An iron-based superconductor Fe(Se,Te) possesses a superconducting topological surface state that has been investigated by scanning tunneling microscopies to detect the ZVBS. However, the results are still controversial. Here, we performed spectroscopic-imaging scanning tunneling microscopy with unprecedentedly high energy resolution to clarify the nature of the vortex bound states in Fe(Se,Te). We found the ZVBS at 0 $\pm$ 20 $\mu$eV suggesting its MQP origin, and revealed that some vortices host the ZVBS while others do not. The fraction of vortices hosting the ZVBS decreases with increasing magnetic field, while chemical and electronic quenched disorders are apparently unrelated to the ZVBS. These observations elucidate the conditions to achieve the ZVBS, and may lead to controlling MQPs., Comment: 7 pages, 4 figures, Supplementary information is available at http://www.riken.jp/epmrt/Machida/SI/FeSeTe_vortex181221_suppl_arXiv.pdf

A nematic transition preceding a long-range spin density wave antiferromagnetic phase is a common feature of many Fe based superconductors. However, in the FeSe system with a nematic transition at $T_{\rm s} \approx$ 90 K no evidence for long-range static magnetism down to very low temperature was found. The lack of magnetism is a challenge for the theoretical description of FeSe. Here, we investigated high-quality single crystals of FeSe using high-field (up to 9.5 Tesla) muon spin rotation ($\mu$SR) measurements. The $\mu$SR Knight shift and the bulk susceptibility linearly scale at high temperatures but deviate from this behavior around $T^{*} \sim 10$ K, where the Knight shift exhibits a kink. This behavior hints to an essential change of the electronic and/or magnetic properties crossing the region near $T^{*}$. In the temperature range $T_{\rm s} \gtrsim T \gtrsim T^{*}$ the muon spin depolarization rate follows a critical behavior $\Lambda \propto T^{-0.4}$. The observed non-Fermi liquid behavior with a cutoff at $T^{*}$ indicates that FeSe is in the vicinity to a antiferromagnetic quantum critical point. Our analysis is suggestive for $T^{*}$ triggered by the Lifshitz transition., Comment: 15 pages, 16 figures

Using low-temperature Magnetic Force Microscopy (MFM) we provide direct experimental evidence for spontaneous vortex phase (SVP) formation in EuFe$_2$(As$_{0.79}$P$_{0.21}$)$_2$ single crystal with the superconducting $T^{\rm 0}_{\rm SC}=23.6$~K and ferromagnetic $T_{\rm FM}\sim17.7$~K transition temperatures. Spontaneous vortex-antivortex (V-AV) pairs are imaged in the vicinity of $T_{\rm FM}$. Also, upon cooling cycle near $T_{\rm FM}$ we observe the first-order transition from the short period domain structure, which appears in the Meissner state, into the long period domain structure with spontaneous vortices. It is the first experimental observation of this scenario in the ferromagnetic superconductors. Low-temperature phase is characterized by much larger domains in V-AV state and peculiar branched striped structures at the surface, which are typical for uniaxial ferromagnets with perpendicular magnetic anisotropy (PMA). The domain wall parameters at various temperatures are estimated., Comment: 13 pages, 6 figures, 1 table Not all authors agree to publish the manuscript now. It may interfere with the resubmission of the related manuscript to Nature

Magnetic flux structure on the surface of EuFe$_2$(As$\rm_{1-x}$P$\rm_x$)$_2$ single crystals with nearly optimal phosphorus doping levels $x=0.20$, and $x=0.21$ is studied by low-temperature magnetic force microscopy and decoration with ferromagnetic nanoparticles. The studies are performed in a broad temperature range. It is shown that the single crystal with $x=0.21$ in the temperature range between the critical temperatures $T_{\rm SC}=22$ K and $T_{\rm C}=17.7$ K of the superconducting and ferromagnetic phase transitions, respectively, has the vortex structure of a frozen magnetic flux, typical for type-II superconductors. The magnetic domain structure is observed in the superconducting state below $T_{\rm C}$. The nature of this structure is discussed., Comment: 6 pages, 3 figures

Magneto-optical imaging studies on a high-quality Bi2Sr2CaCu2O8 single crystal partially patterned with a triangular array of holes reveal enhanced flux shielding in the patterned region of the sample. By mapping local magnetic field and shielding current density distributions at different applied magnetic fields and temperatures we determine the regime where pinning from the patterned holes dominates over the intrinsic pinning in the sample. In this regime, the flux density near the center of the patterned region is observed to increase when the applied field is varied from below the matching field to just above it, while significant magnetic field gradients are sustained in the patterned region. Our measurements indicate heterogeneous pinning properties of the vortex population, exhibiting signatures of both weak and strong pinning, in the nanopatterned region of the superconductor., Comment: 15 pages, 7 figures

Using magneto-optical imaging technique, we map local magnetic field distribution inside a hexagonally ordered array of blind holes patterned in BSCCO single crystals. The nature of the spatial distribution of local magnetic field and shielding currents across the array reveals the presence of a non-uniform vortex configuration partially matched with the blind holes at sub-matching fields. We observe that the filling fraction is different in two different regions of the array. The mean vortex configuration within the array is described as a patchy vortex configuration with the patches having different mean filling fraction. The patchy nature of the vortex configuration is more pronounced at partial filling of the array at low fields while the configuration becomes more uniform with a unique filling fraction at higher fields. The metastable nature of this patchy vortex configuration is revealed by the application of magnetic field pulses of fixed height or individual pulses of varying height to the array. The metastability of the vortex configuration allows for a relatively easy way of producing flux reorganization and flux focusing effects within the blind hole array. Effect of the magnetic field pulses modifies the vortex configuration within the array and produces a uniform enhancement in the shielding current around the patterned array edges. The enhanced shielding current concentrates magnetic flux within the array by driving vortices away from the edges and towards the center of the array. The enhanced shielding current also prevents the uninhibited entry of vortices into the array. We propose that the metastable patchy vortex configuration within the blind hole array is due to a non-uniform pinning landscape leading to non-uniform filling of individual blind holes., Comment: 15 pages, 6 figures

A magnetic field applied to type-II superconductors introduces quantized vortices that locally quench superconductivity, providing a unique opportunity to investigate electronic orders that may compete with superconductivity. This is especially true in cuprate superconductors in which mutual relationships among superconductivity, pseudogap, and broken-spatial-symmetry states have attracted much attention. Here we observe energy and momentum dependent bipartite electronic superstructures in the vortex core of Bi$_2$Sr$_2$CaCu$_2$O$_{8+\delta}$ using spectroscopic-imaging scanning tunneling microscopy (SI-STM). In the low-energy range where the nodal Bogoliubov quasiparticles are well-defined, we show that the quasiparticle scattering off vortices generates the electronic superstructure known as "vortex checkerboard". In the high-energy region where the pseudogap develops, vortices amplify the broken-spatial-symmetry patterns that preexist in zero field. These data reveal canonical d-wave superconductivity near the node, yet competition between superconductivity and broken-spatial-symmetry states near the antinode., Comment: 14 pages, 9 figures, If you need manuscript with high resolution figures, please contact us

The upper critical field Hc2 anisotropy of Ca10(PtnAs8)(Fe2-xPtxAs2)5 (n = 3, 4) single crystals with long FeAs interlayer distance (d) was studied by angular dependent resistivity measurements. A scaling of the angular dependent resistivity was realized for both single crystals using the anisotropic Ginzburg-Landau (AGL) approach with an appropriate anisotropy parameter {\gamma}. The AGL scaling parameter {\gamma} increases with decreasing temperature and reaches a value of about 10 at 0.8Tc for both single crystals. These values are much larger than those of other iron-based superconductors (FeSCs). Remarkably, the values of {\gamma}2 show an almost linear increase with the FeAs/FeSe interlayer distance d for FeSCs. Compared to cuprates, FeSCs are less anisotropic, indicating that two dimensionality of the superconductivity is intrinsically weak., Comment: Accepted in Applied Physics Letters. 5 figures

Flux penetrations into three-dimensional Nb superconducting strip arrays, where two layers of strip arrays are stacked by shifting a half period, are studied using a magneto-optical imaging method. Flux avalanches are observed when the overlap between the top and bottom layers is large even if the width of each strip is well below the threshold value. In addition, anomalous linear avalanches perpendicular to the strip are observed in the shifted strip array when the overlap is very large and the thickness of the superconductor is greater than the penetration depth. We discuss possible origins for the flux avalanches, including linear ones, by considering flux penetration calculated by the Campbell method assuming the Bean model., Comment: 11 pages, 6 figures

We report the temperature dependence of the transport critical current density (Jc) in textured Sr1-xKxFe2As2/Fe (Sr122) tapes fabricated by an ex situ powder-in-tube process. Critical currents were measured in magnetic fields up to 0-15 T and/or the temperature range 4.2-30 K by using a dc four-probe method. It was found that textured Sr122 tapes heat-treated at low temperatures showed higher transport Jc performance due to much improved intergrain connections. At temperatures of 20 K, easily obtained using a cryocooler, Jc reached ~ 10^4 A/cm^2 in self field, which is the highest transport value of ferropnictide wires and tapes reported so far. Magneto-optical imaging observations further revealed significant and well distributed global Jc at 20 K in our tapes. These results demonstrate that 122 type superconducting tapes are promising for high-field applications at around 20 K., Comment: 16 pages, 5 figures

We present here the design of a sensitive Compact Faraday-modulator (CFM) based optical magnetometer for imaging the distribution of weak local magnetic fields inside hysteretic magnetic materials. The system developed has a root mean square (rms) noise level of 50 mG.Hz-1/2 at a full frame rate of 1 frame per second with each frame being of size 512 x 512 pixels. By measuring the local magnetic field distribution in different superconducting samples we show that our magnetometer provides an order of magnitude improvement in the signal to noise (S/N) ratio at low fields as compared to ordinary magneto-optical imaging technique. Moreover, it provides the required sensitivity for imaging the weak magnetization response near a superconducting transition where a number of other imaging techniques are practically unviable. An advantage of our CFM design is that it can be scaled in size to fit into situations with tight space constraints., Comment: 16 pages, 7 figures

We have systematically investigated and compared different methods to induce superconductivity in iron chalcogenide Fe1+yTe0.6Se0.4 including annealing in vacuum, N2, O2, I2 atmosphere, and immersing samples into acid and alcoholic beverages. Vacuum and N2 annealing are proved to be ineffective to induce superconductivity in Fe1+yTe0.6Se0.4 single crystal. O2 and I2 annealing, acid and alcoholic beverages can induce superconductivity by oxidizing the excess Fe in the sample. Superconductivity in O2 annealed sample is in bulk nature, while I2, acid and alcoholic beverages can only induce superconductivity near the surface. By comparing different effects of O2, I2, acid and alcoholic beverages, we propose a scenario to explain how the superconductivity is induced in the non-superconducting as-grown Fe1+yTe0.6Se0.4., Comment: 11 pages, 4 figures, accepted for publication in Supercond. Sci. Technol

Magneto-optical imaging studies in a single crystal of Bi2Sr2CaCu2O8 partially patterned with a hexagonal array of pinning centers (blind holes) reveals local features in the patterned region which are distinct compared to the pristine unpatterned regions in the sample. The patterned area exhibits a strongly diamagnetic local magnetization response and is characterized by a local penetration field enhanced by a factor of three. We show that strong shielding currents around the periphery of the nanopatterned region create a barrier which prevents vortex entry into the patterned region thus sustaining an effectively flux-free state upto the enhanced penetration field., Comment: 11 pages, 4 figures

We report detailed studies of the upper critical field and low-temperature specific heat in the two-gap superconductor Lu$_{2}$Fe$_{3}$Si$_{5}$. The anisotropy of the upper critical field suggests that the active band is quasi-one-dimensional. Low-temperature specific heat in magnetic fields reveals that the virtual $H_{c2}$ in the passive band is almost isotropic. These results strongly indicate that the two bands have two different anisotropies, similar to the typical two-gap superconductor MgB$_{2}$, and their interplay may be essential to the two-gap superconductivity in Lu$_{2}$Fe$_{3}$Si$_{5}$., Comment: 5 pages, 5 figures

Using high sensitivity magneto-optical imaging we find evidence for a jump in local vortex density associated with a vortex liquid to solid phase transition just above the lower critical field in a single crystal of Bi2Sr2CaCu2O8. We find the regions of the sample where the jump in vortex density occurs are associated with low screening currents. In the field - temperature vortex phase diagram we identify phase boundaries demarcating a dilute vortex liquid phase and the vortex solid phase. The phase diagram also identifies a coexistence regime of the dilute vortex liquid and solid phases and shows the effect of pinning on the vortex liquid to solid phase transition line. We find the phase boundary lines can be fitted to the theoretically predicted expression for the low-field portion of the phase boundary delineating a dilute vortex solid from a vortex liquid phase. We show that the same theoretical fit can be used to describe the pinning dependence of the low-field phase boundary lines provided a dependence of the Lindemann number on pinning strength is considered., Comment: 16 pages and 6 figures (Published)

High-quality FeSe tapes have been prepared by using a diffusion method. By adjusting the reaction temperature and the thickness systematically, a transport critical current density as high as 600 A/cm2 at 4.2 K under self field is achieved. Magneto-optical images indicate considerable distribution of Tc and weak-link features in the FeSe tape. This study gives some insight into how to improve the quality and performance of FeSe tapes and other superconducting tapes prepared through diffusion method further., Comment: 3 pages, 5 figures

Using ultrafast optical techniques, we detect two types of bosons strongly coupled to electrons in the family of Bi$_{2}$Sr$_{2}$CaCu$_{2}$O$_{8+\delta}$ from the underdoped to overdoped regimes. The different doping dependences of the electron-boson coupling strengths enables us to identify them as phonons and spin fluctuations: electron-phonon coupling ($\lambda_{e-ph}$) peaks at optimal doping, and electron-spin fluctuation coupling ($\lambda_{e-sf}$) decreases monotonically with doping. This observation is consistent with two facts: (1) superconductivity is in close proximity with antiferromagnetism at low dopings, and (2) a pronounced lattice renormalization effect at larger dopings., Comment: 5 pages of manuscript + 10 pages of Supplementary Information

Magnetic hysteresis loops (MHLs) have been comparatively measured on both textured and single crystalline Sc5Ir4Si10 superconductors. Critical current densities and flux pinning forces are calculated from MHLs by Bean model. Three kinds of peaks of the flux pinning force are found at low fields near zero, intermediated fields, and high fields near the upper critical field, respectively. The characters and origins of these peaks are studied in detail., Comment: 6 pages, 9 figures, 1 table

We report the effect of 3 MeV proton irradiation on the suppression of the critical temperature $T_{c}$ in Ba(Fe$_{1-x}$Co$_{x}$)$_{2}$As$_{2}$ single crystals at under-, optimal-, and over-doping levels. We find that $T_{c}$ decreases and residual resistivity increases monotonically with increasing dose. We also find no upturn in low-temperature resistivity in contrast with the $\yen alpha$-particle irradiated NdFeAs(O,F), which suggests that defects induced by the proton irradiation behave as nonmagnetic scattering centers. The critical scattering rate for all samples estimated by three different ways is much higher than that expected in $s_{\yen pm}$-pairing scenario based on inter-band scattering due to antiferro-magnetic spin fluctuation., Comment: 5 pages, 4 figures

Local magnetization hysteresis is among the most extensively studied features of high-temperature superconductors (HTSC). The usual source of hysteresis in superconductors is bulk vortex pinning due to material defects. Two additional known mechanisms of magnetic irreversibility are the Bean-Livingston surface barrier and the geometrical barrier (GB). GB arises due to a competition between the line energy of a vortex penetrating into the sample and the Lorentz force of Meissner currents which focuses vortices in the sample's center to form a dome-shaped vortex distribution. This work demonstrates that dc in-plane field overcomes hysteresis mainly through the GB suppression in a region of phase diagram under consideration (high temperatures and low fields)., Comment: This work was presented in the M2S conference which took place in Tokyo-Japan in September 2009

A memory effect in the Josephson vortex system created by magnetic field in the highly anisotropic superconductors Bi2212 and Bi2223 is demonstrated using microwave power absorption. This surprising effect appears despite a very low viscosity of Josephson vortices compared to Abrikosov vortices. The superconductor is field cooled in DC magnetic field H_{m} oriented parallel to the CuO planes through the critical temperature T_{c} down to 4K, with subsequent reduction of the field to zero and again above H_{m}. Large microwave power absorption signal is observed at a magnetic field just above the cooling field clearly indicating a memory effect. The dependence of the signal on deviation of magnetic field from H_{m} is the same for a wide range of H_{m} from 0.15T to 1.7T.

We study the distribution of transport current across superconducting Bi$_2$Sr$_2$CaCu$_2$O$_8$ crystals and the vortex flow through the sample edges. We show that the $T_x$ transition is of electrodynamic rather than thermodynamic nature, below which vortex dynamics is governed by the edge inductance instead of the resistance. This allows measurement of the resistance down to two orders of magnitude below the transport noise. By irradiating the current contacts the resistive step at vortex melting is shown to be due to loss of c-axis correlations rather than breakdown of quasi-long-range order within the a-b planes.

Single crystalline FeTe$_{0.61}$Se$_{0.39}$ with a sharp superconducting transition at $T_{\textrm{c}} \sim$ 14 K is synthesized via slow furnace cooling followed by low-temperature annealing. The effect of annealing on the chemical and superconducting inhomogeneities is carefully characterized. We also report resistivity, magnetization, and magneto-optical images of this crystal. Based on the Bean model, critical current density is estimated to exceed $1 \times 10^5$ A/cm$^2$ below 5 K under zero field. Weak fish-tail effect is identified at lower temperatures., Comment: 4 pages, 4 figures

We report the first realization of columnar defects in Co-doped BaFe$_{2}$As$_{2}$ single crystals by heavy-iron irradiation. The columnar defects are confirmed by transmission electron microscopy and their density is about 40 % of the irradiation dose. Magneto-optical imaging and bulk magnetization measurements reveal that the critical current density is strongly enhanced in the irradiated region. We also find that vortex creep rates are strongly suppressed by the columnar defects. We compare the effect of heavy-ion irradiation into Co-doped BaFe$_{2}$As$_{2}$ and cuprate superconductors., Comment: 5 pages, 4 figures

Thermal transport measurements have been performed on single-crystalline Co-doped BaFe2As2 down to 0.1 K and under magnetic fields up to 7 T. Significant peak anomalies are observed in both thermal conductivity and thermal Hall conductivity below Tc as an indication of the enhancement of the quasiparticle mean-free path. Moreover, we find a sizable residual T-linear term in thermal conductivity, possibly due to a finite quasiparticle density of states in the superconducting gap induced by impurity pair breaking. Our findings support a pairing symmetry compatible with the theoretically predicted sign-reversing s-wave state., Comment: 4 pages, 4 figures, to be published in Journal of the Physical Society of Japan

We measured the effects of periodic surface holes, created using a focused ion beam, on the phase diagram of the vortex matter in high-T_c Bi_2Sr_2CaCu_2O_{8+\delta} crystals. Differential magneto-optical measurements show that the irreversibility line is shifted to higher fields and temperatures, with respect to the pristine melting line. The irreversibility line displays weak field dependence between integer matching fields indicating multiple-flux-quanta pinning at holes. We find reduced equilibrium compressibility of the vortex matter at integer matching fields, which is strong evidence for the existence of thermodynamic Mott insulator phases. Shaking with a transverse ac field surprisingly reveals first-order melting that is not shifted with respect to the pristine melting line and that seems to occur within the Mott insulator regions. This melting is understood to be the first-order transition in the bulk of the crystal beneath the surface holes. The transition is visible at the surface, despite the reduced vortex compressibility in the top layer., Comment: 11 pages, 8 figures. To appear in Physical Review B

Scanning Hall probe and local Hall magnetometry measurements have been used to investigate flux distributions in large mesoscopic superconducting disks with sizes that lie near the crossover between the bulk and mesoscopic vortex regimes. Results obtained by directly mapping the magnetic induction profiles of the disks at different applied fields can be quite successfully fitted to analytic models which assume a continuous distribution of flux in the sample. At low fields, however, we do observe clear signatures of the underlying discrete vortex structure and can resolve the characteristic mesoscopic compression of vortex clusters in increasing magnetic fields. Even at higher fields, where single vortex resolution is lost, we are still able to track configurational changes in the vortex patterns, since competing vortex orders impose unmistakable signatures on "local" magnetisation curves as a function of the applied field. Our observations are in excellent agreement with molecular dynamics numerical simulations which lead us to a natural definition of the lengthscale for the crossover between discrete and continuum behaviours in our system., Comment: Submitted to Europhysics Letters

Using ultrafast optical techniques, we probe the hole-doping dependence of the electron-boson coupling constant $\lambda$ in Bi$_{2}$Sr$_{2}$CaCu$_{2}$O$_{8+\delta}$. In the overdoped region, we observe a correlation between ($\lambda$) and the superconducting transition temperature $T_{c}$. Upon performing the McMillan analysis, however, we find that $\lambda$ is too small to explain the high $T_{c}$'s, and that the Coulomb pseudopotential $\mu^{\ast}$ is negative. Our analysis therefore reveals two components in the mechanism of high-$T_{c}$ superconductivity -- a dominant pre-existing pairing interaction, together with a weaker electron-phonon interaction that fine-tunes $T_{c}$., Comment: 4 pages, 4 eps figures

Here we use highly sensitive magnetisation measurements performed using a Hall probe sensor on single crystals of highly anisotropic high temperature superconductors $Bi_{2}Sr_{2}CaCu_{2}O_{8}$ to study the dynamic interactions between the two species of vortices that exist in such superconductors. We observe a remarkable and clearly delineated high temperature regime that mirrors the underlying vortex phase diagram. Our results map out the parameter space over which these dynamic interaction processes can be used to create vortex ratchets, pumps and other fluxonic devices., Comment: 7 pages, 3 figures, to be published in Supercond. Sci. Technol

Single crystal of Lu$_2$Fe$_3$Si$_5$ was studied with the tunnel-diode resonator technique in Meissner and mixed states. Temperature dependence of the superfluid density provides strong evidence for the two-gap superconductivity with almost equal contributions from each gap of magnitudes $\Delta_1/k_BT_c=1.86$ and $\Delta_1/k_BT_c=0.54$. In the vortex state, pinning strength shows unusually strong temperature dependence and is non-monotonic with the magnetic field (peak effect). The irreversibility line is sharply defined and is quite distant from the $H_{c2}(T)$, which hints on to enhanced vortex fluctuations in this two-gap system. Altogether our findings provide strong electromagnetic - measurements support to the two-gap superconductivity in Lu$_2$Fe$_3$Si$_5$ previously suggested from specific heat measurements.

We report low-temperature specific heat studies on single-crystalline ternary-iron silicide superconductor Lu$_{2}$Fe$_{3}$Si$_{5}$ with$T_c$ = 6.1 K down to $\sim T_c/20$. We confirm a reduced normalized jump in specific heat at $T_c$, and find that the specific heat divided by temperature $C/T$ shows sudden drop at $\sim T_c/5$ and goes to zero with further decreasing temperature. These results indicate the presence of two distinct superconducting gaps in Lu$_{2}$Fe$_{3}$Si$_{5}$, similar to a typical two-gap superconductor MgB$_{2}$. We also report Hall coefficients, band structure calculation, and the anisotropy of upper critical fields for Lu$_{2}$Fe$_{3}$Si$_{5}$, which support the anisotropic multiband nature and reinforce the existence of two superconducting gaps in Lu$_{2}$Fe$_{3}$Si$_{5}$., Comment: 5 pages, 5 figures

We report the first optical study of CaAlSi, a superconductor which displays both the crystal structure of MgB2 and the electronic band structure of intercalated graphites. The reflectivity of a CaAlSi single crystal was measured down to sub-THz frequencies and to 3.3 K, with the use of Coherent Synchrotron Radiation. A superconducting gap in the hexagonal planes, two gaps along the c axis were found and measured, as expected from the structure of the CaAlSi Fermi surface. The anisotropic optical parameters of the normal state were also determined., Comment: 4 pages, 4 figures

We study the oxygen doping dependence of the equilibrium first-order melting and second-order glass transitions of vortices in Bi$_2$Sr$_2$CaCu$_2$O$_{8+\delta}$. Doping affects both anisotropy and disorder. Anisotropy scaling is shown to collapse the melting lines only where thermal fluctuations are dominant. Yet, in the region where disorder breaks that scaling, the glass lines are still collapsed. A quantitative fit to melting and replica symmetry breaking lines of a 2D Ginzburg-Landau model further reveals that disorder amplitude weakens with doping, but to a lesser degree than thermal fluctuations, enhancing the relative role of disorder., Comment: 4 pages, 4 figures

The behavior of vortex matter in $\mathrm{Bi_{2}Sr_{2}CaCu_{2}O_{8}}$ in the presence of a low concentration of tilted columnar defects (CDs) was studied using magneto-optical measurements and molecular dynamics simulations. We find that while the dynamic properties are significantly affected by tilting the field away from CDs, the thermodynamic lines are angle independent. Our simulations reveal that vortex pancakes remain localized along CDs even at large tilting angles thus preserving the thermodynamic features, while suppression of irreversible properties is caused by vortex kink sliding., Comment: 5 pages, 4 figures, submitted to Physical Review Letters

Non-volatile multivalued memory effects caused by magnetic fields, currents, and voltage pulses are studied in Nd_{0.65}Ca_{0.35}MnO_3 and (Nd_{1-y}Sm_{y})_{0.5}Sr_{0.5}MnO_3 (y=0.75) single crystals in the hysteretic region between ferromagnetic metallic and charge-ordered insulating states. The current/voltage effects observed in this study are explained by the self-heating effect, which enable us to control the colossal electroresistance effects. This thermal-cycle induced switching between electronic solid and liquid states can be regarded as electronic version of atomic crystal/amorphous transitions in phase-change chalcogenides., Comment: 5 pages, 4 figures. to appear in Phys. Rev. B

We demonstrate experimentally that the micromagnetic profile of the out-of-plane component of magnetic induction, B_z, in the crossing lattices regime of layered superconductors can be manipulated by varying the in-plane magnetic field, H_{||}. Moving Josephson vortices drag/push pancake vortex stacks, and the magnetic profile, B_z(x), can be controllably sculpted across the entire single crystal sample. Depending on the H-history and temperature we can increase or decrease the flux density at the center and near the edges of the crystal by as much as 40%, realising both 'convex' and 'concave' magnetic flux lenses. Our experimental results are well described by molecular dynamics simulations.

The thermodynamic $H-T$ phase diagram of Bi$_2$Sr$_2$CaCu$_2$O$_8$ was mapped by measuring local \emph{equilibrium} magnetization $M(H,T)$ in presence of vortex `shaking'. Two equally sharp first-order magnetization steps are revealed in a single temperature sweep, manifesting a liquid-solid-liquid sequence. In addition, a second-order glass transition line is revealed by a sharp break in the equilibrium $M(T)$ slope. The first- and second-order lines intersect at intermediate temperatures, suggesting the existence of four phases: Bragg glass and vortex crystal at low fields, glass and liquid at higher fields., Comment: 5 pages, 4 figures. To be published in Phys. Rev. Lett

Current-induced switching from metallic to insulating state is observed in phase-separated states of (La_{1-y}Pr_y)_{0.7}Ca_{0.3}MnO_3 (y=0.7) and Nd_{0.5}Ca_{0.5}Mn_{1-z}Cr_zO_3 (z=0.03) crystals. Application of magnetic fields to this current-induced insulating state causes pronounced low-field negative magnetoresistance effect [r(H)/r(0)=10^{-3} at H=1kOe]. Application of a constant voltage also causes breakdown of ohmic relation above a threshold voltage. At voltages higher than this threshold value, oscillations in currents are observed. This oscillation is well reproduced by a simple model of local switching of a percolative conduction path., Comment: 5 pages, 4 figures, to be published in Physical Review Letters

Using a differential magneto-optical technique to visualize flow of transport currents, we reveal a new delocalization line within the reversible vortex liquid region in the presence of a low density of columnar defects. This line separates a homogeneous vortex liquid, in which all the vortices are delocalized, from a heterogeneous "nanoliquid" phase, in which interconnected nanodroplets of vortex liquid are caged in the pores of a solid skeleton formed by vortices pinned on columnar defects. The nanoliquid phase displays high correlation along the columnar defects but no transverse critical current., Comment: Paper accepted in Physical Review Letters. 5 pages text with 4 figures

We study the Josephson plasma resonance (JPR) in Bi$_2$Sr$_2$CaCu$_2$O$_{8+y}$ (BSCCO) with spatially dependent interlayer-phase coherence (IPC). The half-irradiated BSCCO (HI-BSCCO), in which columnar defects are introduced only in a half of the sample, shows several resonance peaks, which are not simple superposition of the peaks in irradiated- and pristine-parts. JPR in HI-BSCCO changes its character from irradiated- to pristine-type at a crossover frequency ($\omega_{cr}$). We demonstrate that the one-dimensional \LSGE, which takes into account the spatial dependence of IPC, can reproduce most of the experimental findings including the presence of $\omega_{cr}$., Comment: 4 figures

Bitter decoration and magneto-optical studies reveal that in heavy-ion irradiated superconductors, a 'porous' vortex matter is formed when vortices outnumber columnar defects (CDs). In this state ordered vortex crystallites are embedded in the 'pores' of a rigid matrix of vortices pinned on CDs. The crystallites melt through a first-order transition while the matrix remains solid. The melting temperature increases with density of CDs 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., Comment: (1) Paper to appear in Physical Review Letters. (2) 4 pages of text and 5 figures (3 figures in jpg and 2 figures in ps format). (3) Additional information about this work and Colored movies of the melting process can be obtained from http://www.weizmann.ac.il/home/fnsup/research-porous.html#movies

The magnetic penetration depth $\lambda(T,H,j)$ was measured in the presence of a slowly relaxing supercurrent, $j$. In single crystal $\mathrm{Bi_2Sr_2CaCu_2O_8}$ below approximately 25 K, $\lambda(T,H,j)$ is strongly hysteretic. We propose that the irreversibility arises from a shift of the vortex position within its pinning well as $j$ changes. The Campbell length depends upon the ratio $j/j_{c}$ where $j_{c}$ is the critical current defined through the Labusch parameter. Similar effects were observed in other cuprates and in an organic superconductor.

We present a systematic study of the topology of the vortex solid phase in superconducting Bi$_{2}$Sr$_{2}$CaCu$_{2}$O$_{8}$ samples with low doses of columnar defects. A new state of vortex matter imposed by the presence of geometrical contours associated with the random distribution of columns is found. The results show that the first order liquid-solid transition in this vortex matter does not require a structural symmetry change., Comment: 4 pages, 5 figures