Columnar defect-induced strain and superconductivity in Bi2Sr2CaCu2Ox observed by LT-STS/STM

Superconductivity and crystalline structure around columnar defects in Bi2Sr2CaCu2Ox have been studied by low temperature scanning tunneling spectroscopy and microscopy (LT-STS/STM) and transmission electron microscopy (TEM). Columnar defects have been generated by irradiation with 3.5 GeV 135Xe31+ ions, 3.8 GeV 181Ta37+ ions and 3.1 GeV 209Bi37+ ions and the columnar defects-induced strain has been observed by TEM and LT-STM. The magnitude of the strain has been estimated to be 0.1–0.01% in the region of 6 nm from a columnar defect. The strain induced by a columnar defect does not bring about a remarkable change in the superconductivity in Bi2Sr2CaCu2Ox.