Polarized neutron imaging and three-dimensional calculation of magnetic flux trapping in bulk of superconductors

TitlePolarized neutron imaging and three-dimensional calculation of magnetic flux trapping in bulk of superconductors
Publication TypeJournal Article
Year of Publication2012
AuthorsTreimer W, Ebrahimi O, Karakas N, Prozorov R
Journal TitlePhysical Review B
Volume85
Pages184522
Date Published05
Type of ArticleArticle
ISBN Number1098-0121
Accession NumberWOS:000304173000006
KeywordsBARRIER, i superconductors, intermediate state
Abstract

Polarized neutron radiography was used to study the three-dimensional magnetic flux distribution inside of single-crystal and polycrystalline Pb cylinders with large (cm(3)) volume and virtually zero demagnetization. Experiments with single crystals being in theMeissner phase (T < T-c) showed the expected expulsion of magnetic field. 99.9999 wt% pure polycrystalline samples were exposed to the same homogeneous magnetic field (6.4 mT) and only a portion of the applied field was expelled. The trapped field in the sample (T < T-c, B-ext = 0 T) showed a nearly Gaussian spatial distribution, centered on the cylinder axis and decreasing towards the surface of the cylinder. In the direction along the cylinder axis the trapped flux was nearly constant. The expelled field outside of the samples followed 1/R dependence. These measurements provided a unique and detailed picture of macroscopic superconducting samples, confirming the existence of both uniform bulk Meissner expulsion in single crystals and bulk flux trapping with nearly-Bean-model profiles due to flux pinning in polycrystalline samples.

URL<Go to ISI>://WOS:000304173000006
DOI10.1103/PhysRevB.85.184522
Alternate JournalPhys. Rev. B