Imaging the vortex-lattice melting process in the presence of disorder

Alex Soibel (), Eli Zeldov, Michael Rappaport, Yuri Myasoedov, Tsuyoshi Tamegai, Shuuichi Ooi, Marcin Konczykowski and Vadim B. Geshkenbein
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Alex Soibel: Department of Condensed Matter Physics The Weizmann Institute of Science
Eli Zeldov: Department of Condensed Matter Physics The Weizmann Institute of Science
Michael Rappaport: Physics Services, The Weizmann Institute of Science
Yuri Myasoedov: Department of Condensed Matter Physics The Weizmann Institute of Science
Tsuyoshi Tamegai: The University of Tokyo
Shuuichi Ooi: The University of Tokyo
Marcin Konczykowski: CNRS, UMR 7642, Laboratoire des Solides Irradies, Ecole Polytechnique
Vadim B. Geshkenbein: Theoretische Physik, ETH-Honggerberg, CH-8093 Zurich, Switzerland, & L. D. Landau Institute for Theoretical Physics

Nature, 2000, vol. 406, issue 6793, 282-287

Abstract: Abstract General arguments1 suggest that first-order phase transitions become less sharp in the presence of weak disorder, while extensive disorder can transform them into second-order transitions; but the atomic level details of this process are not clear. The vortex lattice in superconductors provides a unique system in which to study the first-order transition2,3,4,5,6 on an inter-particle scale, as well as over a wide range of particle densities. Here we use a differential magneto-optical technique to obtain direct experimental visualization of the melting process in a disordered superconductor. The images reveal complex behaviour in nucleation, pattern formation, and solid–liquid interface coarsening and pinning. Although the local melting is found to be first-order, a global rounding of the transition is observed; this results from a disorder-induced broad distribution of local melting temperatures, at scales down to the mesoscopic level. We also resolve local hysteretic supercooling of microscopic liquid domains, a non-equilibrium process that occurs only at selected sites where the disorder-modified melting temperature has a local maximum. By revealing the nucleation process, we are able to experimentally evaluate the solid–liquid surface tension, which we find to be extremely small.

Date: 2000
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DOI: 10.1038/35018532

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