This article is cited in 7 papers

CONDENSED MATTER

Abrikosov vortex escape from a columnar defect as a topological electronic transition in vortex core

A. S. Mel'nikov, A. V. Samokhvalov

Institute for Physics of Microstructures, Russian Academy of Sciences, Nizhnii Novgorod

Abstract: We study microscopic scenario of vortex escape from a columnar defect under the influence of a transport current. For defect radii smaller than the superconducting coherence length the depinning process is shown to be a consequence of two subsequent topological electronic transitions in a trapped vortex core. The first transition at a critical current $j_L$ is associated with the opening of Fermi surface segments corresponding to the creation of a vortex–antivortex pair bound to the defect. The second transition at a certain current $j_d > j_L$ is caused by merging of different Fermi surface segments, which accompanies the formation of a freely moving vortex.

Received: 20.10.2011

Language: English

 English version: Journal of Experimental and Theoretical Physics Letters, 2011, 94:10, 759–763

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