Pinning-induced transition to disordered vortex phase in layered superconductors

TL;DR

This paper investigates how random point pinning causes a transition from an ordered vortex lattice to a disordered phase in layered high-temperature superconductors, influenced by layered structure and interlayer coupling.

Contribution

It introduces a model explaining the vortex phase transition considering layered structure and nonlocal tilt energy, identifying three regimes based on Josephson and magnetic couplings.

Findings

Transition field depends on layered structure and vortex tilt energy.

Three regimes of transition identified based on coupling strengths.

Layered structure significantly influences vortex phase behavior.

Abstract

Destruction of the vortex lattice by random point pinning is considered as a mechanism of the ``second peak'' transition observed experimentally in weakly coupled layered high temperature superconductors. The transition field separating the topologically ordered quasilattice from the amorphous vortex configuration is strongly influenced by the layered structure and by the nonlocal nature of the vortex tilt energy due to the magnetic interlayer coupling. We found three different regimes of transition depending on the relative strength of the Josephson and magnetic couplings. The regimes can be distinguished by the dependence of the transition field