Distribution of transport current in a type-II superconductor studied by small-angle neutron scattering.

ABSTRACT

We report small-angle neutron scattering measurements on the vortex lattice in a PbIn polycrystal in the presence of an applied current. Using the rocking curves as a probe of the distribution of current in the sample, we observe that vortex pinning is due to the surface roughness. This leads to a surface current that persists in the flux-flow region. We show the influence of surface treatments on the distribution of this current.