Magnetic Field Induced Vortex Lattice Transition in HgBa${}_2$CuO${}_{4+\delta }$

Abstract

Measurements of the ${}^{17}$O nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR) quadrupolar spectrum of apical oxygen in HgBa${}_2$CuO${}_{4+\delta }$ were performed over a range of magnetic fields from 6.4 to 30\,T in the superconducting state. Oxygen isotope exchanged single crystals were investigated with doping corresponding to superconducting transition temperatures from 74\,K underdoped, to 78\,K overdoped. The apical oxygen site was chosen since its NMR spectrum has narrow quadrupolar satellites that are well separated from any other resonance. Non-vortex contributions to the spectra can be deconvolved in the time domain to determine the local magnetic field distribution from the vortices. Numerical analysis using Brandt's Ginzburg-Landau theory was used to find structural parameters of the vortex lattice, penetration depth, and coherence length as a function of magnetic field in the vortex solid phase. From this analysis we report a vortex structural transition near 15\,T from an oblique lattice with an opening angle of $73^{\circ }$ at low magnetic fields to a triangular lattice with $60^{\circ }$ stabilized at high field. The temperature for onset of vortex dynamics has been identified with vortex lattice melting. This is independent of the magnetic field at sufficiently high magnetic field similar to that reported for YBa${}_2$Cu${}_3$O${}_7$ and Bi${}_2$Sr${}_2$CaCu${}_2$O${}_{8+\delta }$ and is correlated with mass anisotropy of the material. This behavior is accounted for theoretically only in the limit of very high anisotropy.

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