Vortex Response and Critical Fields observed via rf penetration depth measurements on the superconductor YNi_2B_2C

Abstract

Measurements of the rf penetration depth \lambda(T,H,\theta ) are used to study the superconducting order parameter, vortex dynamics in the mixed state and delineate critical fields in the borocarbide superconductor YNi_2B_2C. The lower critical field has an anomalous T dependence, H_{c1}(T)=1.12[1-(T/T_c)] kOe, which is however consistent with independent superfluid density measurements at microwave frequencies. The vortex response is dominated by viscous flux flow, indicative of extremely weak pinning, and is parametrized by a field scale H_{c2,eff}. The angular dependence of the vortex contribution \lambda(\theta) is in good agreement with the Coffey-Clem model. Structure is seen in the depairing transition in the vicinity of the upper critical field, with the existence of well-defined critical fields H_{c2a}, H_{c2b} and H_{c2c}, with the vortex field scale H_{c2,eff} closest to H_{c2b}. Overall the measurements indicate that YNi_2B_2C has a rich and unusual field dependence of its transport parameters.