Vortex studies in heavy-ion irradiated Bi2.15Sr1.85CaCu2O8+δ probed by μSR and small-angle neutron scattering

mu SR and small-angle neutron scattering (SANS) have been used to probe the vortex arrangement in single crystals of the high-T-c superconductor Bia(2.15)Sr(1.85)CaCu(2)O(8+delta) which have been irradiated with heavy ions to produce columnar defects. The influence of these pinning sites on the spatial arrangement of the vortices is discussed, and the results are compared with numerical simulations. (C) 2000 Elsevier Science B.V. All rights reserved.