Tunable field-induced superconductivity

We investigate the transport properties of a thin superconducting Al layer covering a square array of magnetic dots with out-of-plane magnetization. A thorough characterization of the magnetic properties of the dots allowed us to fine-tune their magnetic state at will, hereby changing the influence of the dots on the superconductor in a continuous way. We show that even though the number of vortex-antivortex pairs discretely increases with increasing the magnetization of the dots, no corresponding discontinuity is observed in the resistance of the sample. The evolution of the superconducting phase boundary as the magnetic state of the dots is swept permits one to devise a fully controllable and erasable field-induced superconductor.