Multiple changes of order of the vortex melting transition in Bi2Sr2CaCu2O8 with dilute columnar defects.
A low concentration of columnar defects is reported to transform a first-order vortex lattice melting line in Bi2Sr2CaCu2O8 crystals into alternating segments of first- and second-order transitions separated by two critical points. As the density of columnar defects is increased, the critical points shift apart and the range of the intermediate second-order transition expands. The measurement of equilibrium magnetization and the mapping of the melting line down to 27 K was made possible by employment of the shaking technique.
Verdene
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Department of Condensed Matter Physics, Weizmann Institute of Science, Rehovot 76100, Israel. tal.hazak@weizmann.ac.il
Beidenkopf
H
H
Myasoedov
Y
Y
Shtrikman
H
H
Rappaport
M
M
Zeldov
E
E
Tamegai
T
T