Composite vortex ordering in superconducting films with arrays of blind holes

The pinning properties of a superconducting thin film with a square array of blind holes are studied using the nonlinear Ginzburg–Landau theory. Although blind holes provide a weaker pinning potential than holes (also called antidots), several novel vortex structures are predicted for different size and thickness of the blind holes. Orientational dimer and trimer vortex states as well as concentric vortex shells can nucleate in the blind holes. In addition, we predict the stabilization of giant vortices that may be located both in the pinning centers and/or at the interstitial sites, as well as the combination of giant vortices with sets of individual vortices. For large blind holes, local vortex shell structures inside the blind holes may transfer their symmetry to interstitial vortices as well. The subtle interplay of shell formation and traditional Abrikosov vortex lattices inside the blind holes is also studied for different numbers of trapped vortices.