Vortex Phase Dynamics in Yttrium Superhydride YH₆ at Megabar Pressures

Abstract

A comprehensive study of vortex phases and vortex dynamics is presented for a recently discovered high-temperature superconductor YH 6 with T c (onset) of 215 K under a pressure of 200 GPa. The thermal activation energy ( U 0 ) is derived within the framework of the thermally activated flux flow (TAFF) theory. The activation energy yields a power law dependence U 0 ∝ H α on magnetic field with a possible crossover at a field around 8–10 T. Furthermore, we have depicted the vortex phase transition from the vortex-glass to vortex-liquid state according to the vortex-glass theory. Finally, vortex phase diagram is constructed for the first time for superhydrides. Very high estimated values of flux flow barriers U 0 ( H ) = (1.5–7) × 10 4 K together with high crossover fields make YH 6 a rather outstanding superconductor as compared to most cuprates and iron-based systems. The Ginzburg number for YH 6 Gi = (3–7) × 10 –3 indicates that thermal fluctuations are not so strong and cannot broaden superconducting transitions in weak magnetic fields.