Experimental realization of smectic phase in vortex matter induced by symmetric potentials arranged in two-fold symmetry arrays

Abstract

Smectic order has been generated in superconducting Nb films with two-fold symmetry arrays of symmetric pinning centers. Magnetic fields applied perpendicularly to the films develop a vortex matter smectic phase that is easily detected when the vortices are commensurate with the pinning center array. The smectic phase can be turned on and off with external parameters.

Keywords

• phase transition
• superconductivity
• nanostructures