Vortex pinning in Au-irradiated FeSe0.4Te0.6 crystals from the static limit to gigahertz frequencies

Fe(Se,Te) is one of the simplest compounds of iron-based superconductors, but it shows a variety of vortex pinning phenomena both in thin-film and single-crystal forms. These properties are particularly important in light of its potential for applications ranging from the development of coated conductors for high-field magnets to topological quantum computation exploiting the Majorana particles found in the superconducting vortex cores. In this paper, we characterize the pinning properties of FeSe 0.4 Te 0.6 single crystals, both pristine and Au-irradiated, with a set of characterization techniques ranging from the static limit to the GHz frequency range by using dc magnetometry, ac susceptibility measurements of both the fundamental and the third harmonic signals, and by microwave coplanar waveguide resonator measurements of London and Campbell penetration depths. We observed signatures of single vortex pinning that can be modeled by a parabolic pinning potential, dissipation caused by flux creep, and a general enhancement of the critical current density after 320 MeV Au ion irradiation.