Weak- to strong pinning crossover

TL;DR

This paper investigates how vortex pinning in disordered superconductors transitions from weak to strong, explaining the peak effect and its implications for dissipation-free current transport.

Contribution

It provides a detailed analysis of the weak- to strong pinning crossover and discusses the natural emergence of the peak effect in this context.

Findings

Identification of the conditions for weak and strong pinning regimes

Explanation of the peak effect as a consequence of pinning crossover

Insights into vortex matter behavior in disordered superconductors

Abstract

Material defects in hard type II superconductors pin the flux lines and thus establish the dissipation-free current transport in the presence of a finite magnetic field. Depending on the density and pinning force of the defects and the vortex density, pinning is either weak-collective or strong. We analyze the weak- to strong pinning crossover of vortex matter in disordered superconductors and discuss the peak effect appearing naturally in this context.