Magnetic pinning in inhomogeneous type II superconductors

The magnetic structure of a vortex in the presence of an anisotropic inhomogeneity distribution is calculated within the London model. The anisotropic supercurrent pattern consists of closed current loops, superimposed on a “backflow” pattern. The nonvanishing current density at the vortex core gives rise to an intrinsic Lorentz force identical with the pinning force resulting from the spatial variation of the vortex self-energy.