Peak Effect and the Phase Diagram of Moving Vortices in ${\mathrm{F}\mathrm{e}}_{x}{\mathrm{N}\mathrm{i}}_{1\ensuremath{-}x}{\mathrm{Z}\mathrm{r}}_{2}$ Superconducting Glasses

Peak Effect and the Phase Diagram of Moving Vortices in ${F e}_{x} {N i}_{1 - x} {Z r}_{2}$ Superconducting Glasses

M. Hilke, S. Reid, R. Gagnon, and Z. Altounian

Phys. Rev. Lett. 91, 127004 – Published 18 September 2003

Abstract

In the mixed state of type II superconductors, vortices penetrate the sample and form a correlated system due to the screening of supercurrents around them. Interestingly, we can study this correlated system as a function of density and driving force. The density, for instance, is controlled by the magnetic field $B$ , whereas a current density $j$ acts as a driving force $F = j \times B$ on all vortices. To minimize the pinning strength, we study a superconducting glass in which the depinning current is 10 to 1000 times smaller than in previous studies, which enables us to map out the complete phase diagram in this new regime. The diagram is obtained as a function of $B$ , driving current, and temperature, and leads to a remarkable set of new results, which includes a huge peak effect, an additional reentrant depinning phase, and a driving force induced pinning phase.