Magnetization measurements of neon ion irradiated MgB₂superconductors

We report isothermal magnetization and magnetoresistance measurements performed on 160 MeV Ne+6 ion irradiated polycrystalline MgB2. After irradiation, the critical current density is observed to increase at high magnetic fields. The irreversibility line and upper critical field show an increase with introduction of damage due to irradiation. The scaling of Hirr with temperature shows weak pinning behaviour. The maximum pinning force density has a temperature dependence similar to that of Hirr(T). Reduced pinning force density fp(H) curves show a predominant grain boundary pinning.