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Direct Determination of the Power Threshold Value of Vortex Avalanche in YBa2Cu3O7-x Thin Films Triggered by a Laser Pulse

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Abstract

Background

Vortex stability is critically important for applications of type-II superconductors. If some vortices are detached from their pinning sites by external perturbations, the concomitant Joule heat will facilitate further motion of other vortices. This is a positive feedback process, which leads to a flux avalanche in the superconductor. So far, the existing research has not addressed the problem of the power threshold value (PVT) for activating a flux avalanche.

Objective

The primary objective is to study the influences of temperatures, applied magnetic fields and laser activating sites on the PTV of YBa2Cu3O7-x (YBCO) thin films, and to find the relationship between avalanche velocities and laser activating sites.

Methods

We constructed two systems including the classical and high speed magneto-optical imaging (MOI) system. Both systems include two optical branches: one serves as an illuminating system, and the other is used to trigger the dendritic flux avalanche in superconducting film. The PTV was obtained by the classical MOI system while avalanche velocities were acquired via the high speed MOI system.

Results

The PTVs were experimentally obtained at different given temperatures, applied magnetic fields and activating sites, as well as the dependence of avalanche velocity on activating sites. Theoretically, two models are provided to depict the dependence of PTV on temperature and avalanche velocity on activating sites, respectively. The calculated results according to the present models are in reasonable agreement with the experiments.

Conclusions

The experimental results and constructed theoretical models help us to understand the characteristics of flux avalanche in YBCO films and are of significance to evaluate the flux stability for practical applications of high temperature superconducting films.

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Acknowledgments

This work is supported by the Fund of Natural Science Foundation of China (No. 11872196, 11902130).

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Key Laboratory of Mechanics On Disaster and Environment in Western China Attached To the Ministry of Education of China, Lanzhou University, Lanzhou, Gansu, 730000, PR China

    Cunhong Wang, Cong Liu, Xingyi Zhang & You-He Zhou

  2. Department of Mechanics and Engineering Sciences, College of Civil Engineering and Mechanics, Lanzhou University, Lanzhou, Gansu, 730000, PR China

    Cunhong Wang, Cong Liu, Xingyi Zhang & You-He Zhou

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  1. Cunhong Wang
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  2. Cong Liu
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Correspondence to Cong Liu or Xingyi Zhang.

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Wang, C., Liu, C., Zhang, X. et al. Direct Determination of the Power Threshold Value of Vortex Avalanche in YBa2Cu3O7-x Thin Films Triggered by a Laser Pulse. Exp Mech 61, 1227–1235 (2021). https://doi.org/10.1007/s11340-021-00727-4

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