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Observation of Magnetic Flux Generated Spontaneously During a Rapid Quench of Superconducting Films

A. Maniv, E. Polturak, G. Koren

cond-matarXiv:cond-mat/0304359

Abstract

We report observations of spontaneous formation of magnetic flux lines during a rapid quench of YBa2Cu3O7-δ films through Tc. This effect is predicted according to the Kibble-Zurek mechanism of creation of topological defects of the order parameter during a symmetry-breaking phase transition. Our previous experiment, at a quench rate of 20K/sec, gave null results. In the present experiment, the quench rate was increased to > 108 K/sec. Within experimental resolution, the dependence of the measured flux on the cooling rate is consistent with the prediction.

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