Magnetic force microscopy study of interlayer kinks in individual vortices in the underdoped cuprate superconductor YBa2Cu3O6+x

Lan Luan, Ophir M. Auslaender, Douglas A. Bonn, Ruixing Liang, Walter N. Hardy, and Kathryn A. Moler
Phys. Rev. B 79, 214530 – Published 26 June 2009

Abstract

We use magnetic force microscopy to both image and manipulate individual vortex lines threading single crystalline YBa2Cu3O6.4, a layered superconductor. We find that when we pull the top of a pinned vortex, it may not tilt smoothly. Occasionally, we observe a vortex to break into discrete segments that can be described as short stacks of pancake vortices, similar to the “kinked” structure proposed by Benkraouda and Clem. Quantitative analysis gives an estimate of the pinning force and the coupling between the stacks. Our measurements highlight the discrete nature of stacks of pancake vortices in layered superconductors.

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  • Received 6 May 2009

DOI:https://doi.org/10.1103/PhysRevB.79.214530

©2009 American Physical Society

Authors & Affiliations

Lan Luan1, Ophir M. Auslaender1, Douglas A. Bonn2, Ruixing Liang2, Walter N. Hardy2, and Kathryn A. Moler1,*

  • 1Geballe Laboratory for Advanced Materials, Stanford University, Stanford, California 94305, USA
  • 2Department of Physics and Astronomy, University of British Columbia, Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada V6T 1Z1

  • *Corresponding author; kmoler@stanford.edu

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Issue

Vol. 79, Iss. 21 — 1 June 2009

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