Nucleation and Collapse of the Superconducting Phase in Type-I Superconducting Films

Catherine Gourdon (1) , Vincent Jeudy (1) , Andrejs Cebers (2)

1 INSP - Institut des Nanosciences de Paris
2 Institute of Physics

The phase transition between the intermediate and normal states in type-I superconducting films is investigated using magneto-optical imaging. Magnetic hysteresis with different transition fields for collapse and nucleation of superconducting domains is found. This is accompanied by topological hysteresis characterized by the collapse of circular domains and the appearance of lamellar domains. Magnetic hysteresis is shown to arise from supercooled and superheated states. Domain-shape instability resulting from long-range magnetic interaction accounts well for topological hysteresis. Connection with similar effects in systems with long-range magnetic interactions is emphasized.

Mots clés: superconductivity; nucleation; phase transition; domain pattern; topological hysteresis

Domaines: Supraconductivité [cond-mat.supr-con]

Catherine Gourdon, Vincent Jeudy, Andrejs Cebers. Nucleation and Collapse of the Superconducting Phase in Type-I Superconducting Films. Physical Review Letters, 2006, 96, pp.087002. ⟨10.1103/PhysRevLett.96.087002⟩. ⟨hal-00013125⟩