Fluctuation of mean free path and transition temperature induced vortex pinning in (Ba,K)Fe2As2 superconductors

Abstract

The vortex pinning mechanisms of Ba0.72K0.28Fe2As2 single crystal have been studied systematically as a function of temperature and magnetic field. The temperature dependence of the critical current density, Jc(T), was analysed within the collective pinning model at different magnetic fields. It was found that both the δl pinning mechanism, i.e., pinning associated with charge-carrier mean free path fluctuation, and the δTc pinning mechanism, which is associated with spatial fluctuations of the transition temperature, coexist in the Ba0.72K0.28Fe2As2 single crystal in fields smaller than 4 T. Their contributions are strongly temperature and magnetic field dependent. At lower temperature and B ≤ 4 T, the δl pinning is the dominant mechanism, and its contributions decrease with increasing temperature. At temperatures close to the critical temperature, however, there is evidence for δTc pinning. At magnetic fields larger than 4 T, the δl pinning mechanism is the only effect.