Electromagnetics close beyond the critical state: thermodynamic prospect

Abstract

A theory for the electromagnetic response of type-II superconductors close beyond the critical state is presented. Our formulation relies on general physical principles applied to the superconductor as a thermodynamic system. Metastable equilibrium critical states, externally driven steady solutions, and transient relaxation are all described in terms of free energy and entropy production. This approach allows a consistent macroscopic statement that incorporates the intricate vortex dynamic effects, revealed in non-idealized experimental configurations. Magnetically anisotropic critical currents and flux stirring resistivities are straightforwardly included in three-dimensional scenarios. Starting from a variational form of our postulate, a numerical implementation for practical configurations is shown. In particular, several results are provided for infinite strip geometry: voltage generation in multicomponent experiments, and magnetic relaxation towards the critical state under applied field and transport current. Explicitly, we show that for a given set of external conditions, the well established critical states may be completely obtained as diffusive final profiles.