Dynamic roughening of the magnetic flux landscape in YBa$_2$Cu$_3$O$_{7-x}$

TL;DR

This study investigates the dynamic roughening behavior of the magnetic flux landscape in YBa₂Cu₃O₇₋ₓ superconducting thin films, revealing self-affine vortex structures characterized by specific roughness and growth exponents.

Contribution

It introduces a novel analysis of flux landscape roughening in high-temperature superconductors, linking vortex dynamics to self-organized criticality and roughening phenomena.

Findings

Vortex density forms a self-affine structure with specific exponents.

Flux avalanches contribute to the roughening process.

Results relate to other quenched disorder roughening systems.

Abstract

We study the magnetic flux landscape in YBa$_2$Cu$_3$O$_{7-x}$ thin films as a two dimensional rough surface. The vortex density in the superconductor forms a self-affine structure in both space and time. This is characterized by a roughness exponent $\alpha = 0.76(3)$ and a growth exponent $\beta = 0.57(6)$. This is due to the structure and distribution of flux avalanches in the self-organized critical state, which is formed in the superconductor. We also discuss our results in the context of other roughening systems in the presence of quenched disorder.