title: New vortex-matter size effect observed in Bi(2)Sr(2)CaCu(2)O(8 + delta).
abstract: The vortex-matter 3D to 2D phase transition is studied in micron-sized Bi(2)Sr(2)CaCu(2)O(8 + delta) single crystals using local Hall magnetization measurements. At a given temperature, the second magnetization peak, the signature of a possible 3D--2D vortex phase transition, disappears for samples smaller than a critical length. We suggest that this critical length should be equated with the 2D vortex lattice ab-plane correlation length R(2D)(c). The magnitude and temperature dependence of R(2D)(c) agree well with Larkin-Ovchinnikov collective pinning theory.
authors.affiliation: Department of Physics, University of California at Berkeley, Berkeley, California 94720, USA.
authors.forename: Y M
authors.initials: YM
authors.lastname: Wang
authors.forename: M S
authors.initials: MS
authors.lastname: Fuhrer
authors.forename: A
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Zettl
authors.forename: S
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Ooi
authors.forename: T
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Tamegai