Bulk magnetization and strong intrinsic pinning in Ni-doped BaFe2As2 single crystals

Abstract: We report on measurements of isothermal irreversible magnetization loops (M(H)) of Ni-doped BaFe2-xNixAs2 single crystals with x=0.1 and x=0.14 in magnetic fields up to 14T. For both samples in field H//c-axis and H//ab-plane, critical current density calculated from M(H) curves exceeds 106 A/cm2 at low temperatures suggesting strong intrinsic pinning in our crystals. In a broad temperature range 2-17K in both field orientations nearly optimally doped single crystal displays second magnetization peak (fish-tail effect). For H//c-axis, curves of the normalized pinning force, as a function of reduced field, measured at different temperatures obey scaling relation with peak position 0.33 for BaFe1.86Ni0.14As2 crystal and 0.4 for BaFe1.9Ni0.1As2 sample indicating single normal point pinning mechanism. In striking contrast, in H//ab-plane orientation, the scaling of curves is absent.