First-order transition and critical end point in vortex liquids in layered superconductors

Joonhyun Yeo; M. A. Moore

doi:10.1103/PhysRevB.64.024514

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First-order transition and critical end point in vortex liquids in layered superconductors

Joonhyun Yeo, M. A. Moore

DOI 10.1103/PhysRevB.64.024514 · Physical Review B

T1

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Abstract

We calculate various thermodynamic quantities of vortex liquids in a layered superconductor by using the nonperturbative parquet-approximation method, which was previously used to study the effect of thermal fluctuations in two-dimensional vortex systems. We find there is a first-order transition between two vortex liquid phases that differ in the magnitude of their correlation lengths. As the coupling between the layers increases, the first-order transition line ends at a critical point. We discuss the possible relation between this critical end point and the disappearance of the first-order transition that is observed in experiments on high-temperature superconductors at low magnetic fields.