Observation of single flux quantum vortices in the intermediate state of a type-I superconducting film

Junyi Ge; Joffre Gutierrez; Jo Cuppens; Victor V. Moshchalkov

doi:10.1103/PhysRevB.88.174503

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Observation of single flux quantum vortices in the intermediate state of a type-I superconducting film

Junyi Ge, Joffre Gutierrez, Jo Cuppens, Victor V. Moshchalkov

DOI 10.1103/PhysRevB.88.174503 · Physical Review B

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Abstract

The flux quantization in the intermediate state of a type-I superconducting Pb film is studied by using scanning Hall probe microscopy. The vorticity of flux tubes can be tuned by changing the cooling field through the flux expulsion process, and single flux quantum vortices coexisting with multiple quantized flux tubes are observed at low enough fields. However, the minimum fluxoid observed through flux penetration is found to contain more than one flux quantum, and its vorticity increases with decreasing temperature. By combining these two processes it is possible to stabilize flux tubes of opposite polarity, and single flux quantum vortices are created through the annihilation process under the drive of the Lorentz force. Our results give strong evidence that single quantum vortices can be thermodynamically stabilized in the intermediate state of type-I superconductors.

Source-reported materials — not catalogue approval

Formula	Reported Tc (K)	Pressure (GPa)	Type
Pb Archive — visibility unverified Source-occurrence policy only; no material identity or catalogue acceptance is inferred from the formula.	7.05	Pressure not reported	unknown
NbSe2 Archive — visibility unverified Source-occurrence policy only; no material identity or catalogue acceptance is inferred from the formula.	7	Pressure not reported	unknown