Vortex Lock-In Deep in the Bose Glass

Abstract

We use a Bi gaussmeter of micron dimensions to explore the magnetic field dependence of the magnetization relaxation rate and the critical current down to millikelvin temperatures in untwinned single crystals of YBa_2Cu_3O_(7-δ) with columnar defects. The response separates into three regimes as a function of the ratio of vortex density to columnar defect density B/B_φ: enhancements in both critical current and quantum creep in the dilute limit, vanishing magnetization relaxation at the matching density (the proposed "Mott insulator'' phase line), and the emergence of temperature-dependent vortex motion for B≫B_φ.

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