Ultra-fast vortex motion in a direct-write Nb-C superconductor

O. V. Dobrovolskiy (), D. Yu Vodolazov, F. Porrati, R. Sachser, V. M. Bevz, M. Yu Mikhailov, A. V. Chumak and M. Huth
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O. V. Dobrovolskiy: University of Vienna
D. Yu Vodolazov: Institute for Physics of Microstructures, Russian Academy of Sciences
F. Porrati: Institute of Physics, Goethe University
R. Sachser: Institute of Physics, Goethe University
V. M. Bevz: School of Physics, V. Karazin Kharkiv National University
M. Yu Mikhailov: B. Verkin Institute for Low Temperature Physics and Engineering of the National Academy of Sciences of Ukraine
A. V. Chumak: University of Vienna
M. Huth: Institute of Physics, Goethe University

Nature Communications, 2020, vol. 11, issue 1, 1-10

Abstract: Abstract The ultra-fast dynamics of superconducting vortices harbors rich physics generic to nonequilibrium collective systems. The phenomenon of flux-flow instability (FFI), however, prevents its exploration and sets practical limits for the use of vortices in various applications. To suppress the FFI, a superconductor should exhibit a rarely achieved combination of properties: weak volume pinning, close-to-depairing critical current, and fast heat removal from heated electrons. Here, we demonstrate experimentally ultra-fast vortex motion at velocities of 10–15 km s−1 in a directly written Nb-C superconductor with a close-to-perfect edge barrier. The spatial evolution of the FFI is described using the edge-controlled FFI model, implying a chain of FFI nucleation points along the sample edge and their development into self-organized Josephson-like junctions (vortex rivers). In addition, our results offer insights into the applicability of widely used FFI models and suggest Nb-C to be a good candidate material for fast single-photon detectors.

Date: 2020
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DOI: 10.1038/s41467-020-16987-y

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