Giant suppression of flux-flow resistivity in heavy-ion irradiated Tl₂Ba₂Ca₂Cu₃O₁₀ films: influence of linear defects on vortex transport

Abstract

A large shift of the onset of flux-flow resistivity and the irreversibility line H_irr(T) to higher temperatures is observed in Tl₂Ba₂Ca₂Cu₃O₁₀ films containing linear defects created by Ag⁺²¹ ion irradiation. The H_irr(T), which has a characteristic ssL shape in highly anisotropic Tl and Bi based cuprates, becomes more like that of YBa₂Cu₃O₇ in the presence of these defects. The J_c at 77 K also shows a large increase as a result of flux localization at the defects. The transport data indicate that in the H-T plane above H_irr(T) of the unirradiated material, an ensemble of unoccupied defects is required for effective pinning of each flux line in the system.