Abstract
When studied by small-angle neutron scattering, the vortex lattice (VL) in UPt3 undergoes a gradual disordering as a function of time due to U235 fission. This temporarily heats regions of the sample above the critical temperature, where, upon recooling, the vortices remain in a quenched disordered state. The disordering rate is proportional to the magnetic field, suggesting that it is governed by collective VL properties such as the elastic moduli. An ordered VL can be re-formed by applying a small field oscillation, showing that the fission does not cause detectable radiation damage to the UPt3 crystals, even after long exposure.
| Original language | English (US) |
|---|---|
| Article number | 184512 |
| Journal | Physical Review B |
| Volume | 105 |
| Issue number | 18 |
| DOIs | |
| State | Published - May 1 2022 |
Funding
We are grateful to J. A. Sauls for numerous discussions over the years and to U. Köster for providing estimates of the sample heating due to fission. This work was supported by the US Department of Energy, Office of Basic Energy Sciences, under Awards No. DE-SC0005051 (M.R.E., University of Notre Dame; neutron scattering) and No. DE-FG02-05ER46248 (W.P.H., Northwestern University; crystal growth and neutron scattering). A portion of this research used resources at the High Flux Isotope Reactor, a DOE Office of Science User Facility operated by the Oak Ridge National Laboratory. Part of this work is based on experiments performed at the Institut Laue-Langevin, Grenoble, France.
ASJC Scopus subject areas
- Electronic, Optical and Magnetic Materials
- Condensed Matter Physics