arXiv subjects

Victor V. Moshchalkov

Publications and source records attributed to Victor V. Moshchalkov.

13 recordsLinked to original sources

arXiv2020

Yu-Shiba-Rusinov bands in ferromagnetic superconducting diamond

The combination of different exotic properties in materials paves the way for the emergence of their new potential applications. An example is the recently found coexistence of the mutually antagonistic ferromagnetism and superconductivity in hydrogenated boron-doped diamond, which promises to be an attractive system with which to explore unconventional physics. Here, we show the emergence of Yu-Shiba-Rusinov (YSR) bands with a spatial extent of tens of nanometers in ferromagnetic superconducting diamond using scanning tunneling spectroscopy. We demonstrate theoretically how a two-dimensional (2D) spin lattice at the surface of a three-dimensional (3D) superconductor gives rise to the YSR bands, and how their density-of-states profile correlates with the spin lattice structure. The established strategy to realize new forms of the coexistence of ferromagnetism and superconductivity opens a way to engineer the unusual electronic states and also to design better performing superconducting devices.

cond-mat.supr-con↗

arXiv2017

Nematic superconducting state in iron pnictide superconductors

Nematic order often breaks the tetragonal symmetry of iron-based superconductors. It arises from regular structural transition or electronic instability in the normal phase. Here, we report the observation of a nematic superconducting state, by measuring the angular dependence of the in-plane and out-of-plane magnetoresistivity of Ba0.5K0.5Fe2As2 single crystals. We find large twofold oscillations in the vicinity of the superconducting transition, when the direction of applied magnetic field is rotated within the basal plane. To avoid the influences from sample geometry or current flow direction, the sample was designed as Corbino-shape for in-plane and mesa-shape for out-of-plane measurements. Theoretical analysis shows that the nematic superconductivity arises from the weak mixture of the quasi-degenerate s-wave and d-wave components of the superconducting condensate, most probably induced by a weak anisotropy of stresses inherent to single crystals.

cond-mat.supr-con↗

arXiv2017

Direct visualization of vortex ice in a nanostructured superconductor

Artificial ice systems have unique physical properties promising for potential applications. One of the most challenging issues in this field is to find novel ice systems that allows a precise control over the geometries and many-body interactions. Superconducting vortex matter has been proposed as a very suitable candidate to study artificial ice, mainly due to availability of tunable vortex-vortex interactions and the possibility to fabricate a variety of nanoscale pinning potential geometries. So far, a detailed imaging of the local configurations in a vortex-based artificial ice system is still lacking. Here we present a direct visualization of the vortex ice state in a nanostructured superconductor. By using the scanning Hall probe microscopy, a large area with the vortex ice ground state configuration has been detected, which confirms the recent theoretical predictions for this new ice system. Besides the defects analogous to artificial spin ice systems, other types of defects have been visualized and identified. We also demonstrate the possibility to realize different types of defects by varying the magnetic field.

cond-mat.dis-nn↗

arXiv2017

Thermally driven inhibition of superconducting vortex avalanches

Complex systems close to their critical state can exhibit abrupt transitions, avalanches, between their metastable states. It is a challenging task to understand the mechanism of the avalanches and control their behavior. Here we investigate microwave (mw) stimulation of avalanches in the so- called vortex matter of type II superconductors, a system of interacting Abrikosov vortices close to the critical (Bean) state. Our main finding is that the avalanche incubation strongly depends on the excitation frequency, a completely unexpected behavior observed close to the so-called depinning frequencies. Namely, the triggered vortex avalanches in Pb superconducting films become effectively inhibited approaching the critical temperature or critical magnetic field when the mw stimulus is close to the vortex depinning frequency. We suggest a simple model explaining the observed counter- intuitive behaviors as a manifestation of the strongly nonlinear dependence of the driven vortex core size on the mw excitation intensity. This paves the way to controlling avalanches in complex systems through their nonlinear response.

cond-mat.supr-con↗

arXiv2017

Paramagnetic Meissner effect in ZrB12 single crystal with non-monotonic vortex-vortex interactions

The magnetic response related to paramagnetic Meissner effect (PME) is studied in a high quality single crystal ZrB12 with non-monotonic vortex-vortex interactions. We observe the expulsion and penetration of magnetic flux in the form of vortex clusters with increasing temperature. A vortex phase diagram is constructed which shows that the PME can be explained by considering the interplay among the flux compression, the different temperature dependencies of the vortex-vortex and the vortex-pin interactions, and thermal fluctuations. Such a scenario is in good agreement with the results of the magnetic relaxation measurements.

cond-mat.supr-con↗

arXiv2017

Stick-slip Phenomena and Memory Effects in Moving Vortex Matter

Manipulating vortices in non-conventional superconductors is nowadays a challenging path toward controlling functionalities for superconducting nanodevices. Here, we directly observe and control single vortex core trajectories with unmatched resolution using a new scanning tunneling spectroscopy at very low temperature. Our data show the depinning threshold of a Bragg-glass in a weakly disordered superconductor, a clean 2H-NbSe2 crystal. We first experimentally capture the linear and collective response, the Campbell regime. Upon strong drives, the oscillating trajectories perform a series of stick-slip motions that mimics the lattice periodicity. We then theoretically elucidate this peculiar non-linear regime by solving the Langevin dynamics equations. We additionally explore the impact of initial conditions and reveal an enhancement of the long-range correlations with the cooling procedure. Finally, our work establishes a connection between theory of vortex pinning, memory effects and vortex lineshapes, thus offering a new platform to investigate the relationship between viscous media and individual controllable objects in any many-body systems.

cond-mat.supr-con↗

arXiv2017

Nanoscale assembly of superconducting vortices with scanning tunnelling microscope tip

Vortices play a crucial role in determining the properties of superconductors as well as their applications. Therefore, characterization and manipulation of vortices, especially at the single vortex level, is of great importance. Among many techniques to study single vortices, scanning tunneling microscopy (STM) stands out as a powerful tool, due to its ability to detect the local electronic states and high spatial resolution. However, local control of superconductivity as well as the manipulation of individual vortices with the STM tip is still lacking. Here we report a new function of the STM, namely to control the local pinning in a superconductor through the heating effect. Such effect allows us to quench the superconducting state at nanoscale, and leads to the growth of vortex-clusters whose size can be controlled by the bias voltage. We also demonstrate the use of an STM tip to assemble single quantum vortices into desired nanoscale configurations.

cond-mat.supr-con↗

arXiv2016

Magnetic Dipoles at Topological Defects in the Meissner State of a Nanostructured Superconductor

In a magnetic field, superconductivity is manifested by total magnetic field expulsion (Meissner effect) or by the penetration of integer multiples of the flux quantum Φ_0. Here we present experimental results revealing magnetic dipoles formed by Meissner current flowing around artificially introduced topological defects (lattice of antidots). By using scanning Hall probe microscopy, we have detected ordered magnetic dipole lattice generated at spatially periodic antidots in a Pb superconducting film. While the conventional homogeneous Meissner state breaks down, the total magnetic flux of the magnetic dipoles remains quantized and is equal to zero. The observed magnetic dipoles strongly depend on the intensity and direction of the locally flowing Meissner current, making the magnetic dipoles an effective way to monitor the local supercurrent. We have also investigated the first step of the vortex depinning process, where, due to the generation of magnetic dipoles, the pinned Abrikosov vortices are deformed and shifted from their original pinning sites.

cond-mat.supr-con↗

arXiv2015

Microwave-stimulated superconductivity due to presence of vortices

The response of superconducting devices to electromagnetic radiation is a core concept implemented in diverse applications, ranging from the currently used voltage standard to single photon detectors in astronomy. Suprisingly, a sufficiently high power subgap radiation may stimulate superconductivity itself. The possibility of stimulating type II superconductors, in which the radiation may interact also with vortex cores, remains however unclear. Here we report on superconductivity enhanced by GHz radiation in type II superconducting Pb films in the presence of vortices. The stimulation effect is more clearly observed in the upper critical field and less pronounced in the critical temperature. The magnetic field dependence of the vortex related microwave losses in a film with periodic pinning reveals a reduced dissipation of mobile vortices in the stimulated regime due to a reduction of the core size. Results of numerical simulations support the validy of this conclusion. Our findings may have intriguing connections with holographic superconductors in which the possibility of stimulation is under current debate.

cond-mat.supr-con↗

arXiv2014

Near-field aperture-probe as a magnetic dipole source and optical magnetic field detector

Scanning near-field field optical microscopy (SNOM) is a technique, which allows sub-wavelength optical imaging of photonic structures. While the electric field components of light can be routinely obtained, imaging of the magnetic components has only recently become of interest. This is so due to the development of artificial materials, which enhance and exploit the typically weak magnetic light-matter interactions to offer extraordinary optical properties. Consequently, both sources and detectors of the magnetic field of light are now required. In this paper, assisted by finite-difference time-domain simulations, we suggest that the circular aperture at the apex of a metal coated hollow-pyramid SNOM probe can be approximated by a lateral magnetic dipole source. This validates its use as a detector for the lateral magnetic near-field, as illustrated here for a plasmonic nanobar sample. Verification for a dielectric sample is currently in progress. We experimentally demonstrate the equivalence of the reciprocal configurations when the probe is used as a source (illumination mode) and as a detector (collection mode). The simplification of the probe to a simple magnetic dipole facilitates the simulations and the understanding of the near-field images.

physics.optics↗

arXiv2012

Edge superconducting state in Nb thin film with rectangular arrays of antidots

Superconducting Nb thin films with rectangular arrays of submicron antidots have been systemically investigated by transport measurements. In low fields, the magnetoresistance curves demonstrate well-defined dips at integral and rational numbers of flux quanta per unit cell, which corresponds to a superconducting wire network-like regime. When the magnetic field is higher than a saturation field, interstitial vortices interrupt the collective oscillation in low fields and form vortex sublattice, where a larger magnetic field interval is observed. In higher fields, a crossover behavior from the interstitial sublattice state to a single-loop-like state is observed, characterized by oscillations with a period of $Φ_0/πr_{eff}^2$, originating from the existence of edge superconducting states with a size $r_{eff}$ around the antidots.

cond-mat.mes-hall↗

arXiv2010

A model for colloidal suspension under magnetohydrodynamic conditions

We present a comprehensive model to account for the behavior of suspended nanoparticles under magnetohydrodynamic conditions. The Lorentz force not only drags nanoparticle flocs toward the walls reducing the distance between flocs resulting a more negative total pair interaction potential energy, but also produces extra magnetic-induced stresses inside a floc leading to a change of pair interaction distance thus giving rise to a less negative total potential energy. The model explains quite well the recent experimental results showing that magnetic field assists aggregation in laminar or weak turbulent flows, but favors floc disruption in turbulent regime.

cond-mat.soft↗

arXiv2010

Scanning SQUID microscopy of vortex clusters in multiband superconductors

In type-1.5 superconductors, vortices emerge in clusters, which grow in size with increasing magnetic field. These novel vortex clusters and their field dependence are directly visualized by scanning SQUID microscopy at very low vortex densities in MgB2 single crystals. Our observations are elucidated by simulations based on a two-gap Ginzburg-Landau theory in the type-1.5 regime.

cond-mat.supr-con↗