Fermi Surface and Order Parameter Driven Vortex Lattice Structure Transitions in Twin-Free YBa2Cu3O7

J. S. White, V. Hinkov, R. W. Heslop, R. J. Lycett, E. M. Forgan, C. Bowell, S. Strässle, A. B. Abrahamsen, M. Laver, C. D. Dewhurst, J. Kohlbrecher, J. L. Gavilano, J. Mesot, B. Keimer, and A. Erb
Phys. Rev. Lett. 102, 097001 – Published 2 March 2009

Abstract

We report on small-angle neutron scattering studies of the intrinsic vortex lattice (VL) structure in detwinned YBa2Cu3O7 at 2 K, and in fields up to 10.8 T. Because of the suppressed pinning to twin-domain boundaries, a new distorted hexagonal VL structure phase is stabilized at intermediate fields. It is separated from a low-field hexagonal phase of different orientation and distortion by a first-order transition at 2.0(2) T that is probably driven by Fermi surface effects. We argue that another first-order transition at 6.7(2) T, into a rhombic structure with a distortion of opposite sign, marks a crossover from a regime where Fermi surface anisotropy is dominant, to one where the VL structure and distortion is controlled by the order-parameter anisotropy.

  • Figure
  • Figure
  • Figure
  • Received 1 October 2008

DOI:https://doi.org/10.1103/PhysRevLett.102.097001

©2009 American Physical Society

Authors & Affiliations

J. S. White1, V. Hinkov2, R. W. Heslop1, R. J. Lycett1, E. M. Forgan1, C. Bowell1, S. Strässle3, A. B. Abrahamsen4, M. Laver5, C. D. Dewhurst6, J. Kohlbrecher7, J. L. Gavilano7, J. Mesot7, B. Keimer2, and A. Erb8

  • 1School of Physics and Astronomy, University of Birmingham, Edgbaston, Birmingham, B15 2TT, United Kingdom
  • 2Max Planck Institut für Festkörperforschung, D-70569 Stuttgart, Germany
  • 3Physik-Institut der Universität Zürich, CH-8057 Zürich, Switzerland
  • 4Risø National Laboratory for Sustainable Energy, DTU, DK-4000 Roskilde, Denmark
  • 5NIST Center for Neutron Research, Gaithersburg, Maryland 20899, USA
  • 6Institut Laue-Langevin, 6 rue Jules Horowitz, 38042 Grenoble, France
  • 7Paul Scherrer Institute, ETH Zürich and EPF Lausanne, Villigen PSI, CH-5232, Switzerland
  • 8Walther Meissner Institut, BAdW, D-85748 Garching, Germany

Article Text (Subscription Required)

Click to Expand

References (Subscription Required)

Click to Expand
Issue

Vol. 102, Iss. 9 — 6 March 2009

Reuse & Permissions
Access Options
Author publication services for translation and copyediting assistance advertisement

Authorization Required


×
×

Images

×

Sign up to receive regular email alerts from Physical Review Letters

Log In

Cancel
×

Search


Article Lookup

Paste a citation or DOI

Enter a citation
×