Numerical simulation on the flux avalanche behaviors of microstructured superconducting thin films

Abstract

Controlling and suppressing the propagation of magnetic flux avalanches is an important issue for the application of type-II superconductors. The effects of engineered pinning centers (antidots) on the guidance of flux avalanche propagation paths in type-II superconducting thin films are numerically investigated by solving the coupled nonlinear Maxwell's equations and the thermal diffusion equations. The field dependence of critical current density is considered in the simulation in this paper. Dynamic propagations of the thermomagnetic avalanches within the superconducting films patterned with different arrangements of antidots (like random, periodic square, and conformal mapping arrays) are presented. We reveal that presence of the antidots significantly modifies the propagation paths of the avalanches. The flux avalanche patterns of the superconducting films change with the variation of the arrangements of antidots. The patterned antidots in the form of conformal mapping arrays within the superconducting film exhibit strong guidance to the thermomagnetic avalanches. In addition, introducing the antidots in the form of conformal mapping arrays into the superconducting film can effectively lower the magnetic flux jump sizes.