Rectifying differences in transport, dynamic, and quasi-equilibrium measurements of critical current density

The dependence of the critical current density (Jc) on electric field criteria (Ecr) is studied for high-quality YBCO (YBa2Cu3O7) thin films over the entire applied magnetic field (Ba) range. The quantitative model describing the Jc(Ba) dependence is compared and explained for the critical current densities obtained by different measurement techniques. Transport current and quasi-equilibrium magnetization measurement data can successfully be fitted by the model with appropriate electric field criteria. The dependence of the irreversibility field on the Ecr criterion can be obtained within the model. At the same time, the dynamic magnetization measurements of the Jc(Ba) curves strongly depend on instrumentally defined parameters, introducing inconsistencies in the experimental results. Therefore, the model calculations are able to explain the Jc(Ba) curves only if the instrumental vibrations affecting vortex behaviour are taken into account. However, the nature of the observed dependence on the vibration of the samples is unclear. Different frequencies of the sample vibrations have been investigated. It is revealed that if the frequency tends to zero, the Jc(Ba) curves are well described by the model. We have outlined a number of possibilities which may be responsible for the behaviour observed. However, none of the existing theories can explain the effect of the vibrations, which exponentially degrade the irreversibility field to a certain tampered Birr value at frequencies larger than ≃25 Hz.