Structure and degeneracy of vortex lattice domains in pure superconducting niobium: A small-angle neutron scattering study

Laver, M. and Bowell, C.J. and Forgan, E.M. and Abrahamsen, A.B. and Fort, D. and Dewhurst, C.D. and Mühlbauer, S. and Christen, D.K. and Kohlbrecher, J. and Cubitt, R. and Ramos, Silvia (2009) Structure and degeneracy of vortex lattice domains in pure superconducting niobium: A small-angle neutron scattering study. Physical Review B - Condensed Matter and Materials Physics, 79 (1). ISSN 1098-0121. (doi:https://doi.org/10.1103/PhysRevB.79.014518) (The full text of this publication is not currently available from this repository. You may be able to access a copy if URLs are provided)

Abstract

High-purity niobium exhibits a surprisingly rich assortment of vortex lattice (VL) structures for fields applied parallel to a fourfold symmetry axis, with all observed VL phases made up of degenerate domains that spontaneously break some crystal symmetry. Yet a single regular hexagonal VL domain is observed at all temperatures and fields parallel to a threefold symmetry axis. We report a detailed investigation of the transition between these lush and barren VL landscapes, discovering new VL structures and phase transitions at high fields. We show that the number and relative population of VL domains is intrinsically tied to the underlying crystal symmetry. We discuss how subtle anisotropies of the crystal may generate the remarkable VLs observed. © 2009 The American Physical Society.

Item Type:	Article
Subjects:	Q Science > QC Physics > QC176 Solid state physics Q Science > QC Physics
Divisions:	Faculties > Sciences > School of Physical Sciences Faculties > Sciences > School of Physical Sciences > Functional Materials Group
Depositing User:	Silvia Ramos
Date Deposited:	05 Dec 2017 22:14 UTC
Last Modified:	07 Dec 2017 10:45 UTC
Resource URI:	https://kar.kent.ac.uk/id/eprint/46991 (The current URI for this page, for reference purposes)
Ramos, Silvia:	https://orcid.org/0000-0003-2725-7706