info:eu-repo/semantics/article
Observation of a gel of quantum vortices in a superconductor at very low magnetic fields
Fecha
2020-03Registro en:
Llorens, José Benito; Embon, Lior; Correa, Alexandre; González, Jesús David; Herrera, Edwin; et al.; Observation of a gel of quantum vortices in a superconductor at very low magnetic fields; American Physical Society; Physical Review Research; 2; 1; 3-2020; 1-16
2643-1564
CONICET Digital
CONICET
Autor
Llorens, José Benito
Embon, Lior
Correa, Alexandre
González, Jesús David
Herrera, Edwin
Guillamón, Isabel
Luccas, Roberto F.
Azpeitia, Jon
Mompeán, Federico J.
García Hernández, Mar
Munuera, Carmen
Aragón Sánchez, Jazmín
Fasano, Yanina
Milosevic, Milorad V.
Suderow, Hermann
Anahory, Yonathan
Resumen
A gel consists of a network of particles or molecules formed for example using the sol-gel process, by which a solution transforms into a porous solid. Particles or molecules in a gel are mainly organized on a scaffold that makes up a porous system. Quantized vortices in type-II superconductors mostly form spatially homogeneous ordered or amorphous solids. Here we present high-resolution imaging of the vortex lattice displaying dense vortex clusters separated by sparse or entirely vortex-free regions in β-Bi2Pd superconductor. We find that the intervortex distance diverges upon decreasing the magnetic field and that vortex lattice images follow a multifractal behavior. These properties, characteristic of gels, establish the presence of a novel vortex distribution, distinctly different from the well-studied disordered and glassy phases observed in high-temperature and conventional superconductors. The observed behavior is caused by a scaffold of one-dimensional structural defects with enhanced stress close to the defects. The vortex gel might often occur in type-II superconductors at low magnetic fields. Such vortex distributions should allow to considerably simplify control over vortex positions and manipulation of quantum vortex states.