Critical currents in sputtered copper molybdenum sulphide

Abstract

Critical currents in a sputtered Chevrel-phase copper molybdenum sulphide have been measured at 4.2 K as a function of applied magnetic field. Self-field critical-current values up to 109 A/m2 were found, decreasing to 108 A/m2 at 3 T. Graphs of pinning forces versus field were found to be independent of field direction, and the pinning mechanism is sample independent. Critical-current densities for sputtered lead molybdenum sulphide are estimated to be ≳108 A/m2 at 26 T based on a scaling law for pinning.