Interstitial vortex in superconducting film with periodic hole arrays

The response of superconducting Nb films with a diluted triangular and square array of holes to a perpendicular magnetic field are investigated. Due to small edge-to-edge separation of the holes, the patterned films are similar to multi-connected superconducting islands. Two regions in the magnetoresistance R (H) curves can be identified according to the field intervals of the resistance minima. Moreover, in between these two regions, variation of the minima spacing was observed. Our results provide strong evidence of the coexistence of interstitial vortices in the islands and fluxoids in the holes.