Angular dependence of vortex matter phase transition in MgB2 single crystal

The vortex matter phase transitions and intrinsic pinning effect were investigated in an MgB2 single crystal using the torque magnetometry. For the field directions apart from the ab plane, we succeed in the observation of the vortex lattice melting transitions, which are transformed from the order-disorder transitions at low temperatures. Both transition fields with held directions can be describe by the GL effective mass model. For the field direction along the ab plane, these transitions become unobservable. Instead, the sudden increase in the hysteresis of magnetization curve occurs, indicating the existence of the intrinsic pinning coming from the layer structure. (C) 2008 Published by Elsevier Ltd.