First Order Premelting Transition of Vortex Lattices

Abstract

Vortex lattices in the high temperature superconductors undergo a first order phase transition which has thus far been regarded as melting from a solid to a liquid. We point out an alternative possibility of a two step process in which there is a first order transition from an ordinary vortex lattice to a soft vortex solid followed by another first order melting transition from the soft vortex solid to a vortex liquid. We focus on the first step. This premelting transition is induced by vacancy and interstitial vortex lines. We obtain good agreement with the experimental transition temperature versus field, latent heat, and magnetization jumps for YBCO and BSCCO.

revised version replaces 9705092, 5 pages, Latex, 2 postscript figures, defect line wandering is included, 2 step melting is proposed

Cited by in corpus (8)

• Possible new vortex matter phases in BSCCO
• Amorphization of Vortex Matter and Reentrant Peak Effect in YBa${}_2$Cu${}_3$O${}_{7-\delta }$
• Giant Peak Effect Observed in Ultrapure YBCO Crystal
• Statistical Mechanics of Vacancy and Interstitial Strings in Hexagonal Columnar Crystals
• Defect-Unbinding Transition in Layered Superconductors
• Interstitials, Vacancies and Dislocations in Flux-Line Lattices: A Theory of Vortex Crystals, Supersolids and Liquids
• Transport Properties of Vortex Matter Governed by the Edge Inductance of Superconducting Bi${}_2$Sr${}_2$CaCu${}_2$O${}_8$ Single Crystals
• Viscoelasticity and Surface Tension at the Defect-Induced First-Order Melting Transition of a Vortex Lattice