Critical points in the Bragg glass phase of a weakly pinned crystal of Ca$_3$Rh$_4$Sn$_{13}$

TL;DR

This study investigates the vortex phase transitions and phase coexistence in a weakly pinned Ca$_3$Rh$_4$Sn$_{13}$ crystal, revealing a phase diagram with critical points and the healing of disordered vortex states.

Contribution

It provides new experimental insights into vortex phase behavior, including phase coexistence and critical points, in Ca$_3$Rh$_4$Sn$_{13}$, expanding understanding of vortex matter in superconductors.

Findings

Identification of a phase coexistence region between SMP and PE

Observation of vortex state healing towards order

Marked multi-critical and critical points in the phase diagram

Abstract

New experimental data are presented on the scan rate dependence of the magnetization hysteresis width $\Delta M(H)$ ($\propto$ critical current density $J_c(H)$) in isothermal $M-H$ scans in a weakly pinned single crystal of Ca$_3$Rh$_4$Sn$_{13}$, which displays second magnetization peak (SMP) anomaly as distinct from the peak effect (PE). We observe an interesting modulation in the field dependence of a parameter which purports to measure the dynamical annealing of the disordered bundles of vortices injected through the sample edges towards the destined equilibrium vortex state at a given $H$. These data, in conjunction with the earlier observations made while studying the thermomagnetic history dependence in $J_c(H)$ in the tracing of the minor hysteresis loops, imply that the partially disordered state heals towards the more ordered state between the peak field of the SMP anomaly and the onset field of the PE. The vortex phase diagram in the given crystal of Ca$_3$Rh$_4$Sn$_{13}$ has been updated in the context of the notion of the phase coexistence of the ordered and disordered regions between the onset field of the SMP anomaly and the spinodal line located just prior to the irreversibility line. A multi-critical point and a critical point in the ($H,T$) region of the Bragg glass phase have been marked in this phase diagram and the observed behaviour is discussed in the light of recent data on multi-critical point in the vortex phase diagram in a single crystal of Nb.