On the equilibrium magnetization of high-Tc superconductors below the irreversibility line

TL;DR

This paper demonstrates that in some high-Tc superconductors, the measured magnetization below the irreversibility line matches the equilibrium magnetization, challenging traditional vortex pinning models.

Contribution

It reveals that the magnetization in certain high-Tc superconductors can be equilibrium-like even within the irreversible regime, based on scaling analysis.

Findings

Magnetization data can be scaled across temperatures.

Measured magnetization matches equilibrium magnetization in some cases.

Challenges traditional vortex pinning explanations.

Abstract

By scaling isothermal magnetization data measured at different temperatures in the mixed state of high-Tc superconductors, we show that in some cases the sample magnetization, measured in increasing magnetic field below the irreversibility line, is identical with the equilibrium magnetization even in magnetic fields well within the irreversible regime. This surprising behavior can hardly be explained in terms of traditional models of vortex pinning in the bulk of the sample.