Magnetic vortices for a Ginzburg-Landau type energy with discontinuous constraint

TL;DR

This paper analyzes vortex nucleation in a Ginzburg-Landau model with discontinuous constraints, relevant for vortex-pinning in superconductors, estimating critical magnetic fields and boundary effects.

Contribution

It provides the first detailed analysis of vortex nucleation in a Ginzburg-Landau functional with discontinuous constraints, modeling vortex-pinning phenomena.

Findings

Critical magnetic field for vortex nucleation estimated

Results on vortex-pinning and interface boundary conditions obtained

Analysis conducted in the London singular limit

Abstract

This paper is devoted to an analysis of vortex-nucleation for a Ginzburg-Landau functional with discontinuous constraint. This functional has been proposed as a model for vortex-pinning, and usually accounts for the energy resulting from the interface of two superconductors. The critical applied magnetic field for vortex nucleation is estimated in the London singular limit, and as a by-product, results concerning vortex-pinning and boundary conditions on the interface are obtained.