Theory of the vortex matter transformations in high Tc superconductor YBCO

TL;DR

This paper presents a theoretical analysis of vortex matter phase transitions in YBCO superconductors, revealing a simple phase diagram with two thermodynamic phases separated by a first-order transition, aligning well with experimental data.

Contribution

The study provides a quantitative Ginzburg-Landau based model explaining vortex phase transitions and reinterprets the critical point as a Kauzmann point, simplifying the phase diagram.

Findings

Two thermodynamic phases separated by a first-order line

The phase transition line makes a wiggle near 12T

Magnetization, entropy, and heat discontinuities match experiments

Abstract

Flux line lattice in type II superconductors undergoes a transition into a "disordered" phase like vortex liquid or vortex glass, due to thermal fluctuations and random quenched disorder. We quantitatively describe the competition between the thermal fluctuations and the disorder using the Ginzburg -- Landau approach. The following T-H phase diagram of YBCO emerges. There are just two distinct thermodynamical phases, the homogeneous and the crystalline one, separated by a single first order transitions line. The line however makes a wiggle near the experimentally claimed critical point at 12T. The "critical point" is reinterpreted as a (noncritical) Kauzmann point in which the latent heat vanishes and the line is parallel to the T axis. The magnetization, the entropy and the specific heat discontinuities at melting compare well with experiments.