LINEAR-RESPONSE IN THE AC SUSCEPTIBILITY OF VORTICES IN YBA2CU3O7 CRYSTALS WITH COLUMNAR DEFECTS

We explore the AC magnetic susceptibility of YBa2Cu3O7 single crystals with columnar defects. For vortices parallel to the defects the linea r response is mainly determined by the Campbell penetration depth with a field independent Labusch parameter indicating that vortices are in dividually pinned. The small dissipation in this limit is likely to ar ise from thermal fluctuations of vortex segments between pairs of meta stable states (two-level systems) in the Bose glass phase. Tilting vor tices away from the tracks results in a reduction of the Bose glass te mperature and an increase of the dissipation due to the reduction of t he pinning forces. We discuss the onset of nonlinear response as the A C field increases.