Evidence of first-order transition between vortex glass and Bragg glass phases in high-$T_{\rm c}$ superconductors with point pins: Monte Carlo simulations

Abstract

Phase transition between the vortex glass and the Bragg glass phases in high-$T_{\rm c}$ superconductors in $\vec{B}\parallel\vec{c}$ is studied by Monte Carlo simulations in the presence of point pins. A finite latent heat and a $δ$-function peak of the specific heat are observed, which clearly indicates that this is a thermodynamic first-order phase transition. Values of the entropy jump and the Lindemann number are consistent with those of melting transitions. A large jump of the inter-layer phase difference is consistent with the recent Josephson plasma resonance experiment of Bi$_{2}$Sr$_{2}$CaCu$_{2}$O$_{8+y}$ by Gaifullin {\it et al.}