Altering magnetic response of superconductors by rotation

Abstract

It is generally believed that, at a certain temperature below the critical one, magnetic response of a superconductor (SC) is determined solely by its intrinsic properties. Here we show that the mechanical rotation of a SC can easily change the values of the critical fields at which the superconductivity is destroyed (type-1 SC) or the vortices penetrate into (exit from) the material (type-2 SC). This is due to a superposition of the Meissner current induced by the external field, and the spontaneous current on the surface of the SC induced by the mechanical rotation. As a result, the critical fields of a SC can be increased or decreased, depending on the geometrical form of the material and the relative orientation of rotation and the external field.