Exploration of stable and unstable vortex patterns in a superconductor under a magnetic disc

Abstract

The stable and unstable solutions of a square 2D extreme type-II superconductor are studied in the field of a magnetic disc. We use a preconditioned Newton-Krylov solver to find the solutions and use numerical continuation to track the solutions as the field strength varies. For a disc with a small radius, we have identified generic scenarios through which the state loses and regains its stability.