arXiv subjects

T. H. Johansen

Publications and source records attributed to T. H. Johansen.

At least 55 records · Page 3Linked to original sources

arXiv2006

Magneto-optical investigations of Ag-sheathed Bi-2223 tapes with ferromagnetic shielding

An increase in the critical current and suppression of AC losses in superconducting wires and tapes with soft magnetic sheath have been predicted theoretically and confirmed experimentally. In this work we present the results of magneto-optical investigations on a series of Ag-sheathed Bi-2223 tapes with Ni coating. We visualize distributions of magnetic field at increasing external field and different temperatures, demonstrating a difference between the flux propagation in the superconductor with Ni rims and a reference sample without Ni coating.

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arXiv2006

Dramatic role of critical current anisotropy on flux avalanches in MgB2 films

Anisotropic penetration of magnetic flux in MgB2 films grown on vicinal sapphire substrates is investigated using magneto-optical imaging. Regular penetration above 10 K proceeds more easily along the substrate surface steps, anisotropy of the critical current being 6%. At lower temperatures the penetration occurs via abrupt dendritic avalanches that preferentially propagate {\em perpendicular} to the surface steps. This inverse anisotropy in the penetration pattern becomes dramatic very close to 10 K where all flux avalanches propagate in the strongest-pinning direction. The observed behavior is fully explained using a thermomagnetic model of the dendritic instability.

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arXiv2006

Onset of dendritic flux avalanches in superconducting films

We report a detailed comparison of experimental data and theoretical predictions for the dendritic flux instability, believed to be a generic behavior of type-II superconducting films. It is shown that a thermo-magnetic model published very recently [Phys. Rev. B 73, 014512 (2006)] gives an excellent quantitative description of key features like the instability onset (first dendrite appearance) magnetic field, and how the onset field depends on both temperature and sample size. The measurements were made using magneto-optical imaging on a series of different strip-shaped samples of MgB2. Excellent agreement is also obtained by reanalyzing data previously published for Nb.

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arXiv2005

Local transport measurements in laser patterned BSCCO-Ag tapes

The determination of inter- and intra-filament transport characteristics in superconducting composites such as BSCCO-Ag tapes is of great importance for material evaluation towards applications. Most attempts to separate the two contributions have relied on indirect methods based on magnetic measurements such as SQUID or magneto-optic imaging techniques. Here we show that laser patterning of superconducting BSCCO-Ag tapes constitutes a simple approach to measure local transport properties in a direct way, even able to separate inter- and intra-filament contributions to the overall transport behavior of the sample. Our technique is potentially useful for sub-millimeter devices based on superconducting tapes.

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arXiv2005

Magneto-optical imaging of magnetic flux patterns in superconducting films with antidots

Superconducting YBaCuO thin films were equipped with a special arrangement of antidots (holes) of 1 micron radius in order to guide the stream of magnetic flux moving in (or out of) the sample. The flux distribution and its dynamics were visualized using real-time magneto-optical imaging. It is clearly demonstrated that one-dimensional antidot arrays strongly facilitate propagation of magnetic flux. We also demonstrate a possibility to alter the direction of flux motion in a controlled way by special arrangement of intercepting antidot arrays. Our resolution was sufficient for observation of flux in particular antidots, which allows a more detailed dynamic analysis of such systems.

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arXiv2005

Dendritic and uniform flux jumps in superconducting films

Recent theoretical analysis of spatially-nonuniform modes of the thermomagnetic instability in superconductors [Phys. Rev. B 70, 224502 (2004)] is generalized to the case of a thin film in a perpendicular applied field. We solve the thermal diffusion and Maxwell equations taking into account nonlocal electrodynamics in the film and its thermal coupling to the substrate. The instability is found to develop in a nonuniform, fingering pattern if the background electric field, E, is high and the heat transfer coefficient to the substrate, h0, is small. Otherwise, the instability develops in a uniform manner. We find the threshold magnetic field, H_fing(E,h0), the characteristic finger width, and the instability build-up time. Thin films are found to be much more unstable than bulk superconductors, and have a stronger tendency for formation of dendritic pattern.

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arXiv2005

Enhanced critical current density of YBa2Cu3Ox films grown on Nd1/3Eu1/3Gd1/3Ba2Cu3Ox with nano-undulated surface morphology

We report a simple and easily controllable method where a nano-undulated surface morphology of Nd1/3Eu1/3Gd1/3Ba2Cu3Ox (NEG) films leads to a substantial increase in the critical current density in superconducting YBa2Cu3Ox (YBCO) films deposited by pulsed laser deposition on such NEG layers. The enhancement is observed over a wide range of fields and temperatures. Transmission electron microscopy shows that such YBCO films possess a high density of localized areas, typically 20 x 20 nm2 in size, where distortion of atomic planes give rotational (2 to 5 degrees) moire patterns. Their distribution is random and uniform, and expected to be the origin of the enhanced flux pinning. Magneto-optical imaging shows that these films have excellent macroscopic magnetic uniformity.

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arXiv2005

Size of flux jumps in superconducting films

Magneto-optical imaging is used to visualize vortex avalanches in MgB2 films at 4K. Avalanches ranging from 50 to 50000 vortices were detected. The size distribution function has a clear peak whose position moves towards larger sizes as the applied field increases. This field dependence as well as variation of flux density profile during an avalanche are well described by a proposed model assuming a thermal origin of the avalanches. The model is based on the adiabatic approach and takes into account nonlocal electrodynamics in thin superconductors. The threshold field for thermal avalanches is predicted to be much smaller than that for thick superconductors, in agreement with the experiment.

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arXiv2005

The Dendritic magnetic avalanches in carbon-free MgB$_2$ thin films with and without a deposited Au layer

From the magneto optics images (MOI), the dendritic magnetic avalanche is known to appear dominantly for thin films of the newly discovered MgB$_2$. To clarify the origin of this phenomenon, we studied in detail the MOI of carbon-free MgB$_2$ thin films with and without a deposited gold layer. The MOI indicated carbon contamination was not the main source of the avalanche. The MOI clearly showed that the deposition of metallic gold deposition on top of a MgB$_2$ thin film improved its thermal stability and suppressed the sudden appearance of the dendritic flux avalanche. This is consistent with the previous observation of flux noise in the magnetization.

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arXiv2004

Avalanche-driven fractal flux distributions in NbN superconducting films

Flux distributions in thin superconducting NbN films placed in a perpendicular magnetic field have been studied using magneto-optical imaging. Below 5.5 K the flux penetrates in the form of abrupt avalanches resulting in dendritic structures. Magnetization curves in this regime exhibit extremely noisy behavior. Stability is restored both above a threshold temperature T* and applied field H*, where H* is smaller for increasing field than during descent. The dendrite size and morphology are strongly T dependent, and fractal analysis of the first dendrites entering into a virgin film shows that dendrites formed at higher T have larger fractal dimension.

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arXiv2004

Finger patterns produced by thermomagnetic instability in superconductors

A linear analysis of thermal diffusion and Maxwell equations is applied to study the thermomagnetic instability in a type-II superconducting slab. It is shown that the instability can lead to formation of spatially nonuniform distributions of magnetic field and temperature. The distributions acquire a finger structure with fingers perpendicular to the screening current direction. We derive the criterion for the instability, and estimate its build-up time and characteristic finger width. The fingering instability emerges when the background electric field is larger than a threshold field, $E>E_c$, and the applied magnetic field exceeds a value $H_fing \propto 1/\sqrt{E}$. Numerical simulations support the analytical results, and allow to follow the development of the fingering instability beyond the linear regime. The fingering instability may be responsible for the nucleation of dendritic flux patterns observed in superconducting films using magneto-optical imaging.

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arXiv2004

Experiments in vortex avalanches

Avalanche dynamics is found in many phenomena spanning from earthquakes to the evolution of species. It can be also found in vortex matter when a type II superconductor is externally driven, for example, by increasing the magnetic field. Vortex avalanches associated with thermal instabilities can be an undesirable effect for applications, but "dynamically driven" avalanches emerging from the competition between intervortex interactions and quenched disorder constitute an interesting scenario to test theoretical ideas related with non-equilibrium dynamics. However, differently from the equilibrium phases of vortex matter in type II superconductors, the study of the corresponding dynamical phases - in which avalanches can play a role - is still in its infancy. In this paper we critically review relevant experiments performed in the last decade or so, emphasizing the ability of different experimental techniques to establish the nature and statistical properties of the observed avalanche behavior.

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arXiv2003

Single vortices observed as they enter NbSe$_2$

We observe single vortices as they penetrate the edge of a superconductor using a high-sensitivity magneto-optical microscope. The vortices leap across a gap near the edge, a distance that decreases with increasing applied field and sample thickness. This behaviour can be explained by the combined effect of the geometrical barrier and bulk pinning.

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arXiv2003

Macroturbulent Instability of the Flux Line Lattice in Anisotropic Superconductors

A theory of the macroturbulent instability in the system containing vortices of opposite directions (vortices and antivortices) in hard superconductors is proposed. The origin of the instability is connected with the anisotropy of the current capability in the sample plane. The anisotropy results in the appearance of tangential discontinuity of the hydrodynamic velocity of vortex and antivortex motion near the front of magnetization reversal. As is known from the classical hydrodynamics of viscous fluids, this leads to the turbulization of flow. The examination is performed on the basis of the anisotropic power-law current-voltage characteristics. The dispersion equation for the dependence of the instability increment on the wave number of perturbation is obtained, solved, and analyzed analytically and numerically. It is shown that the instability can be observed even at relatively weak anisotropy.

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arXiv2003

Mesoscopic flux jumps in MgB2 films visualized by magneto-optical imaging

We report on the first spatially resolved observation of mesoscopic flux jumps in superconducting films. Magneto-optical imaging was used to visualize the flux penetration in MgB2 films subjected to a slowly varying perpendicular field. Below 10 K, flux jumps with typical size 10-20 microns and regular shape are found to occur at random locations along the flux front. The total number of vortices participating in one jump is varying between 50 and 10000. Simultaneously, big dendritic jumps with dimensions comparable to the sample size (10^6-10^8 vortices) are also found in this temperature range. We believe that both types of jumps result from thermo-magnetic instability.

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arXiv2003

Direct Demonstration of the Anisotropic Origin of the Macroturbulent Instability in Type-II Superconductors

The physical nature of the macroturbulence in the vortex matter in YBCO superconductors is verified by means of magnetooptic study of the instability in a single crystal prepared specially for this purpose. The instability develops near those sample edges where the oppositely directed flow of vortices and antivortices, guided by twin boundaries, is characterized by the discontinuity of the tangential component of the hydrodynamic velocity. This fact directly indicates that the macroturbulence is analogous to the instability of fluid flow at a surface of a tangential velocity discontinuity in classical hydrodynamics, and is related to the anisotropic flux motion in the superconductor.

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arXiv2003

Dendritic flux avalanches in superconducting Nb3Sn films

The penetration of magnetic flux into a thin superconducting film of Nb3Sn with critical temperature 17.8K and critical current density 6MA/cm^2 was visualized using magneto-optical imaging. Below 8 K an avalanche-like flux penetration in form of big and branching dendritic structures was observed in response to increasing perpendicular applied field. When a growing dendritic branch meets a linear defect in the film, several scenarios were observed: the branch can turn and propagate along the defect, continue propagation right through it, or "tunnel" along a flux-filled defect and continue growth from its other end. The avalanches manifest themselves in numerous small and random jumps found in the magnetization curve.

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arXiv2002

Interplay of dendritic avalanches and gradual flux penetration in superconducting MgB2 films

Magneto-optical imaging was used to study a zero-field-cooled MgB2 film at 9.6K where in a slowly increasing field the flux penetrates by abrupt formation of large dendritic structures. Simultaneously, a gradual flux penetration takes place, eventually covering the dendrites, and a detailed analysis of this process is reported. We find an anomalously high gradient of the flux density across a dendrite branch, and a peak value that decreases as the applied field goes up. This unexpected behaviour is reproduced by flux creep simulations based on the non-local field-current relation in the perpendicular geometry. The simulations also provide indirect evidence that flux dendrites are formed at an elevated local temperature, consistent with a thermo-magnetic mechanism of the instability

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