Spin density wave induced disordering of the vortex lattice in superconducting La$_{2-x}$Sr$_x$CuO$_4$

TL;DR

This study investigates how spin-density-wave order influences vortex lattice disorder in La$_{2-x}$Sr$_x$CuO$_4$ superconductors, revealing a link between electronic instabilities and vortex behavior through neutron scattering.

Contribution

It demonstrates that SDW order acts as a new source of disorder affecting the vortex lattice, especially near underdoping, and connects electronic structure changes to vortex properties.

Findings

Vortex lattice properties are affected by a van-Hove singularity near optimal doping.

SDW instability leads to increased disorder in the vortex lattice.

The Bragg glass paradigm effectively describes vortex lattice behavior in this regime.

Abstract

We use small angle neutron scattering to study the superconducting vortex lattice in La$_{2-x}$Sr$_x$CuO$_4$ as a function of doping and magnetic field. We show that near optimally doping the vortex lattice coordination and the superconducting coherence length $\xi$ are controlled by a van-Hove singularity crossing the Fermi level near the Brillouin zone boundary. The vortex lattice properties change dramatically as a spin-density-wave instability is approached upon underdoping. The Bragg glass paradigm provides a good description of this regime and suggests that SDW order acts as a novel source of disorder on the vortex lattice.