Kosterlitz-Thouless transition in the smectic vortex state of a layered superconductor Article uri icon

abstract

  • We investigate the relation between the vortex structure and the dissipation mechanism in strongly layered superconductors when a large magnetic field is applied parallel to the layers. At high enough temperatures the vortex lattice undergoes a transition to a smectic state characterized by a vanishing interlayer shear. The elastic properties of this state lead to novel conditions for Kosterlitz-Thouless-type behavior, resulting in an algebraic current-voltage characteristic down to vanishing current densities. © 1991 The American Physical Society.

publication date

  • 1991-01-01