Pinning and magnetic flux diffusion in APC composites with superconducting filaments

Pinning and magnetic flux diffusion in composites with artificial pinning centers (APC) are studied using a magnetic step method. It is revealed experimentally, that a magnetic flux pinning is determined by boundaries of superconducting filaments and matrix in composites with thickness of filaments less of London's penetration depth. The elementary pinning force on n-s boundary for Cu-NbTi, Nb-NbTi,... composites is measured. The value of elementary pinning force is controlled by thickness n-s boundary. And the thickness n-s of boundary can be large in result of solid state diffusion during technological process. The thickness n-s boundary is estimated through the dependence of superconducting filaments effective volume from the magnetic field value. These results for elementary pinning force and thickness n-s of boundary are compared to results of direct measurements of critical currents in these APC superconducting composites.