Flux pinning with a magnetic nanorod array

We report measurements of the phase diagram and critical current of a PbBi superconducting film with an embedded square array of Ni nanorods. Strong hysteresis of the superconducting properties and an increase in the critical current which varies from several times to several orders of magnitude depending on the magnetic field and temperature is found. (C) 2010 American Institute of Physics. [doi:10.1063/1.3467452]