NOVEL PHASES OF VORTICES IN SUPERCONDUCTORS

Abstract

An overview is given of the new theories and experiments on the phase diagram of type II superconductors, which in recent years have progressed from the Abrikosov mean field theory to the "vortex matter" picture. We then detail some theoretical tools which allow to describe the melting of the vortex lattice, the collective pinning and creep theory, and the Bragg glass theory. It is followed by a short presentation of other glass phases of vortices, as well as phases of moving vortices.