Elongated, discontinuous defects provide strong vortex pinning and a corres
ponding large increase in critical current density in highly anisotropic Tl
2Ba2CaCu2Ox (Tl-2212) thin films. We generate controlled, amorphous damage
regions in Tl-2212 thin films ranging from short, discontinuous defects to
continuous linear tracks using Au ion irradiation with incident energies of
30, 60 and 88 MeV. High-resolution TEM images and magnetization data allow
correlation of microstructural damage with changes in the superconducting
properties. Furnace annealing of an irradiated film shows that the enhanced
pinning is stable to above 600 degrees C.