Guidance of vortices in high-T-c superconducting thin films with special arrangement of antidots

Controlled trapping and guided motion of vortices via special arrangements of micro-holes, so-called antidots, in YBa2Cu3O7 films and devices is demonstrated. Resistive Hall-type measurements prove the presence of guided flux motion along rows of antidots. In contrast to conventional vortex motion due to vortex unpinning at currents exceeding the critical current, this motion is present down to zero current and low temperatures. It is characterized by a linear voltage-current dependence, i.e., ohmic behavior. The latter is indicative for a novel mechanism of flux propagation in superconducting systems that might be based upon (a) restricted vortex formation in mesoscopic superconductors or/and (b) flux nucleation within antidots due to the redistribution of screening currents. The combination of strategically trapping of vortices and guided vortex motion using isolated or rows of antidots, respectively, can be used for new devices concepts.