In unconventional superconductors, such as high-temperature superconductors (HTS) and heavy fermion materials, the behavior of vortices (quantized magnetic flux lines) and their dynamics play a crucial role in understanding their superconducting properties. Disorder can significantly impact vortex dynamics and vortex lattice melting in unconventional superconductors, and it is an important factor that distinguishes these materials from conventional superconductors.
Vortex Dynamics in the Presence of Disorder: Disorder in unconventional superconductors arises from various sources, such as impurities, defects, and inhomogeneities in the material. In the presence of disorder, the motion of vortices becomes more complex. Unlike in conventional superconductors, where vortices move collectively in a regular lattice, the behavior of vortices in unconventional superconductors is influenced by the inherent anisotropy and the presence of competing order parameters, leading to non-uniform vortex distributions and pinned vortex states.
The pinning of vortices due to disorder can be weak or strong, depending on the strength of the pinning centers. Weak pinning allows vortices to move more freely, leading to a higher critical current density (the maximum current a superconductor can carry without losing its superconducting state). On the other hand, strong pinning suppresses vortex motion and may lead to a phenomenon known as "vortex glass," where vortices become trapped in disordered configurations.
Vortex Lattice Melting and Disorder: The vortex lattice is the regular arrangement of vortices that forms in the superconductor when an external magnetic field is applied. In clean and highly ordered conventional superconductors, the vortex lattice undergoes a well-defined phase transition called the "vortex lattice melting transition" at a critical temperature or critical magnetic field. At this transition, the vortex lattice loses its long-range order, and vortices become more mobile, leading to a liquid-like behavior.
In unconventional superconductors with significant disorder, the vortex lattice melting transition is affected by the presence of pinning centers. Disorder can introduce disorder-induced melting, leading to a broader melting transition, which is less sharp compared to the clean case. The presence of disorder also influences the nature of the vortex liquid phase, making it more complex.
Role of Disorder in Understanding Unconventional Superconductivity: Understanding the role of disorder in vortex dynamics and vortex lattice melting is essential for gaining insights into the fundamental properties of unconventional superconductors. Disorder affects various aspects, including critical currents, vortex depinning, resistivity, and phase transitions, making it a significant factor in determining the superconducting behavior of these materials.
Researchers study the effect of disorder in unconventional superconductors to optimize their applications and to design superconductors with enhanced performance. By controlling disorder, one can tailor the properties of the vortex lattice, critical currents, and other superconducting characteristics, which has practical implications for technological advancements in superconducting devices and applications.
A very useful answer, if you don't count the misconceptions about conventional superconductors. The lattice is also disordered in the conventional ones in the presence of strong pinning,