Equilibrium first-order melting and second-order glass transitions of the vortex matter in Bi2Sr2CaCu2O8.

ABSTRACT

The thermodynamic phase diagram of Bi2Sr2CaCu2O8 was mapped by measuring local equilibrium magnetization M(H,T) in the presence of vortex shaking. Two equally sharp first-order magnetization steps are revealed in a single temperature sweep, manifesting a liquid-solid-liquid sequence. In addition, a second-order glass transition line is revealed by a sharp break in the equilibrium M(T) slope. The first- and second-order lines intersect at intermediate temperatures, suggesting the existence of four phases Bragg glass and vortex crystal at low fields, glass and liquid at higher fields.