VORTEX MATTER IN SUPERCONDUCTING MESOSCOPIC DISKS - STRUCTURE, MAGNETIZATION, AND PHASE-TRANSITIONS

The dense vortex matter structure and associated magnetization are cal culated for type-II superconducting mesoscopic disks. The magnetizatio n exhibits generically first-order phase transitions as the number of vortices changes by one and presents two well-defined regimes: A nonmo notonous evolution of the magnitude of the magnetization jumps signals the presence of a vortex glass structure which is separated by a seco nd-order phase transition at H-c2 from a condensed state of vortices ( giant vortex) where the magnitude of the jumps changes monotonously. W e compare our results with Hall magnetometry measurements by Geim et a l. [Nature (London) 390, 259 (1997)] and claim that the magnetization exhibits clear traces of the presence of these vortex glass states.