Destruction by fluctuations of superconducting long-range order in the Abrikosov flux lattice

Abstract

Previous studies have demonstrated that thermal fluctuations destroy superconducting long-range order within the mixed state of a type-II superconductor. These fluctuations are shown to be incompressible shear motions of the flux lines forming the flux lattice. Despite the absence of superconducting order, the existence of a flux lattice phase is indicated by a renormalization-group analysis. The Lindemann melting criterion suggests that the lattice might melt when (1-T/${T}_{c}$) is of order ${H}^{2/3}$.