Hysteretic vortex pinning in superconductor-ferromagnet nanocomposites

Phys Rev Lett. 2007 Mar 16;98(11):117003. doi: 10.1103/PhysRevLett.98.117003. Epub 2007 Mar 14.

Abstract

This Letter reports the observation of hysteresis in the vortex pinning in a superconductor-ferromagnetic epitaxial nanocomposite consisting of fcc Gd particles incorporated in a Nb matrix. We show that this hysteretic pinning is associated with magnetic reversal losses in the Gd particles and is fundamentally different in origin to pinning interactions previously observed for ferromagnetic particles or other microstructural features.

Publication types

  • Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't