Melting of porous vortex matter

Bitter decoration and magneto-optical studies reveal that in heavy-ion irradiated superconductors, a porous vortex matter is formed when vortices outnumber columnar defects. In this state ordered vortex crystallites are embedded in the pores of a rigid matrix of vortices pinned on columnar defects. The crystallites melt through a first-order transition while the matrix remains solid. The melting temperature increases with density of columnar defects and eventually turns into a continuous transition. At high temperatures a sharp kink in the melting line is found, signaling an abrupt change from crystallite melting to melting of the rigid matrix.