Freezing transition of the vortex liquid in anisotropic superconductors

We study the solid-liquid transition of a model of pancake vortices in lami nar superconductors using a density functional theory of freezing. The phys ical properties of the system along the melting line are discussed in detai l. We show that there is a very good agreement with experimental data in th e shape and position of the first order transition in the phase diagram and in the magnitude and temperature dependence of the magnetic induction jump at the transition. We analyze the validity of the Lindemann melting criter ion and the Hansen-Verlet freezing criterion. Both criteria are shown to pr edict well the phase diagram in the region where a first-order phase transi tion is experimentally observed.