2002/05/31 by C. E. Creffield, J. P. Rodriguez
Physics and Astronomy · #Advanced Condensed Matter Physics #Physics of Superconductivity and Magnetism #Theoretical and Computational Physics #cond-mat.stat-mech #cond-mat.supr-con
paper · pdf · doi:10.1103/physrevb.67.144510
published as Phys. Rev. B., v. 67, p. 144510 (2003) · 5 pgs., 4 figs. To appear in PRB. Added size study of hexatic phase
openalex publication_date 2003/04/16 · arxiv created 2003/04/17 · arxiv updated 2009/11/30 · openalex created_date 2025/10/10 · openalex updated_date 2026/07/28
The two-dimensional (2D) vortex lattice in the extreme type-II limit is studied by Monte Carlo simulation of the corresponding 2D Coulomb gas, with identical pins placed at sites coinciding with the zero-temperature triangular vortex lattice. At weak pinning we find evidence for 2D melting into an intermediate hexatic phase. The strong pinning regime shows a Kosterlitz-Thouless transition, driven by interstitial vortex/antivortex excitations. A stack of such identical layers with a weak Josephson coupling models a layered superconductor with a triangular arrangement of columnar pins at the matching field. A partial duality analysis finds that layer decoupling of the flux-line lattice does not occur at weak pinning for temperatures below 2D melting.