2009/02/20 by S. Mühlbauer, C. Pfleiderer, P. Böni +5
Materials Science · Physics and Astronomy · #Iron-based superconductors research #Physics of Superconductivity and Magnetism #Superconductivity in MgB2 and Alloys #cond-mat.str-el #cond-mat.supr-con
paper · pdf · doi:10.1103/physrevlett.102.136408
Accepted for publication in Phys. Rev. Lett
arxiv created 2009/02/20 · openalex publication_date 2009/04/03 · arxiv updated 2009/12/01 · openalex created_date 2016/06/24 · openalex updated_date 2026/07/28
The morphology of the superconducting flux line lattice (FLL) of Nb comprises gradual variations with various lock-in transitions and symmetry breaking rotations. We report a comprehensive small-angle neutron scattering study of the FLL in an ultrapure single crystal of Nb as a function of the orientation of the applied magnetic field. We attribute the general morphology of the FLL and its orientation to three dominant mechanisms; first, nonlocal contributions, second, the transition between open and closed Fermi surface sheets and, third, the intermediate mixed state between the Meissner and the Shubnikov phase.