Contents lists available at ScienceDirect Chinese Journal of Physics journal homepage: www.elsevier.com/locate/cjph Angular dependence of the critical current density and the temperature scaling of the flux pinning force in YBCO thin film Abdelhalim Hafid a, ⁎ , Ahmed Taoufik a , Abella Bouaaddi a , Hassan Elouaddi a , Ahmed Tirbiyine a,b , Brahim Lmouden a , Mustapha Bghour a , Habiba El hamidi a , Youssef Ait Ahmed a a Laboratory of Materials Superconductors at High Critical Temperature, Ibn Zohr University, Agadir, Morocco b Equipe de recherche MSISM, Faculté Poly-disciplinaire, Université Cadi Ayyad, B. P. 4162, Route Sidi Bouzid, Safi 46000, Morocco ARTICLE INFO Keywords: Superconductors Flux pinning force YBCO Critical current density ABSTRACT In this paper, the critical current J c (Θ) have been investigated as a function of magnetic-field angle Θ. Θ is the angle between the c-axis and the applied magnetic field direction. This in- vestigation concerned three temperature values (60 K, 78 K and 81 K). The normalized pinning force f p versus the normalized magnetic field h was also studied (f p = F p /F pmax and h = H/ H max ). The F p expression was determined based on the Kramer model. The studied sample was a single crystal of YBaCuO thin film deposited by the ablation laser method on the surface (100) of a SrTiO 3 substrate. The results of this work show the existence of point core pinning of the normal centers in the low field regime and the occurrence of the flux creep in high field regime. 1. Introduction The anisotropic magnetic properties of high temperature superconductors have been extensively studied since the discovery of superconductivity [1]. This work is focused on the YBCO superconductor. Owing to its upper critical magnetic field, possibility of large critical current density (J c ) and relatively high transition temperature T c , this superconductor is an ideal material for promising applications like current limiters, energy storage systems and magnetic bearings… It is therefore very important from the viewpoints of both fundamental research and practical application to understand the critical current density (J c ) and the flux pinning properties of high-temperature superconducting (HTS). In particular, the dynamics of vortices in YBCO superconductors. This is why we have made a systematic study of the angular dependence of the critical current density and pinning force at various temperatures and magnetic fields. An important general property of a superconducting material is the flux pinning behavior. Indeed, the flux pinning will rule the achievable critical current densities, the position of the irreversibility line and hence, effects of flux motion and creep. Originally, the collective creep theory and glassy vortex dynamics were developed based on the magnetic behavior of YBCO [2]. In this latter, the perfect diamagnetic state is maintained up to a lower critical field (H > H c1 ), beyond which the flux begins to penetrate and vortex formation takes place. When a transport current is applied in the vortex superconducting state, the situation becomes complex because of the Lorentz force (F L = J * H) acting on vortices. The motion of these vortices induces a dissipative energy in the sample, which is responsible for https://doi.org/10.1016/j.cjph.2017.12.025 Received 24 April 2017; Received in revised form 14 December 2017; Accepted 20 December 2017 ⁎ Corresponding author. E-mail address: asskti@gmail.com (A. Hafid). Chinese Journal of Physics xxx (xxxx) xxx–xxx 0577-9073/ © 2018 The Physical Society of the Republic of China (Taiwan). Published by Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved. Please cite this article as: ABDELHALIM, H., Chinese Journal of Physics (2018), https://doi.org/10.1016/j.cjph.2017.12.025