Direct observation of melting of the vortex solid in Bi2Sr2CaCu2O8+delta single crystals

Oral A., BARNARD J. C., BENDİNG S. J., KAYA I. I., OOİ S., TAMEGAİ T., ...More

PHYSICAL REVIEW LETTERS, vol.80, no.16, pp.3610-3613, 1998 (SCI-Expanded) identifier identifier

  • Publication Type: Article / Article
  • Volume: 80 Issue: 16
  • Publication Date: 1998
  • Doi Number: 10.1103/physrevlett.80.3610
  • Journal Name: PHYSICAL REVIEW LETTERS
  • Journal Indexes: Science Citation Index Expanded (SCI-EXPANDED), Scopus
  • Page Numbers: pp.3610-3613
  • Middle East Technical University Affiliated: No

Abstract

A scanning Hall probe microscope has been used to directly observe the vortex lattice melting transition in Bi2Sr2CaCu2O8+delta single crystals. Below the melting line, the system settles into a fairly well-ordered vortex solid which undergoes pronounced rotations as the field is increased due to incommensurability effects. Vortex contrast is lost abruptly and discontinuously at the melting line consistent with a first order transition. Vortex profiles appear to be strongly broadened by two-dimensional fluctuations which grow much stronger as the melting line is approached from below, suggesting that melting and decoupling are almost simultaneous.