Superconducting anti-dot arrays from self-assembly template methods

We present results of electrochemical deposition of superconducting Pb in the pores of templates prepared by self-assembly from colloidal suspensions of polystyrene latex spheres. This technique enables us to create highly ordered superconducting nanostructures with 3D architectures on length scales ranging from 50 to 1000 nm. The prepared samples show pronounced Little-Parks oscillations in T-c and matching effects in magnetization and magnetic susceptibility. Real and imaginary parts of susceptibility follow a universal Cole-Cole curve. Self-field effects play an important role in commensurability behaviour of magnetic moment at low temperatures. (C) 2004 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.