A high-temperature superconductor under applied strain: vortex dynamics and critical current density

By using the Monte Carlo method, a numerical study has been conducted to investigate the influence of strain on the critical current density and voltage-current characteristics of a high-temperature superconductor. It has been shown that if a sample is strained, the critical current density and the slope of the E-J curve decrease. Staircase E-J curves of strained samples corresponding to alternating states of vortex freezing and defreezing have been discovered. Vortex dynamics has been demonstrated for different degrees of strain. A possibility of almost unhindered movement of vortices towards the center of the sample along the occurring areas of stress has been shown for heavily strained samples.