Heavy ion induced columnar defects : a sensitive probe for the 2D/3D behaviour of vortex matter in high-temperature superconductors

Heavy ion irradiation is used to create columnar defects in high-temperature superconductors (HTS). The heavy ion induced defects are not only very well controlled in shape and density, but also in the direction of the tracks with respect to the crystallographic c-axis. Pinning of the flux lines as a function of magnetic field orientation then becomes dependent on vortex dimensionality. The two-dimensional (2D)/three-dimensional (3D) behaviour of flux lines was investigated in the highly anisotropic Bi-based superconducting oxide. Results obtained from transport current measurements with epitaxial films, measurements with small single crystals in flux transformer geometry and muon spin rotation (?SR) data with relatively thick crystals are compared