Vibrating reed study of the flux line dynamics of κ-(ET)2Cu[N(CN)2]Br

Vibrating reed measurements were performed on single-crystal samples ofκ-(ET)₂- Cu[N(CN)₂]Br in an applied magnetic fieldH oriented either parallel (“longitudinal”) or perpendicular (“transverse”) to the highly conducting ac-plane. Field-cooling data taken for the longitudinal orientation andH<0.7 T revealed a peak with a low-temperature shoulder in the reed dissipation 1/Q located at temperatureT _Q below the superconducting transition temperatureT _c (≈11.6 forH=0). The shoulder disappeared nearH≈0.7 T, accompanied by an abrupt change in the slope ofT _Q (H), corresponding to a similar change in the slope of the upper critical magnetic fieldH _c2 measured by Kwoket al. The existence of the shoulder in the dissipation peak bears on a number of current explanations for the exotic superconducting properties ofκ-(ET)₂Cu[N(CN)₂]Br.T _Q data taken for the transverse orientation fell far below estimates ofH _c2., indicating the existence of a substantial region of flux line (FL) mobility belowH _c2(T). The location of a peak in NMR relaxation observed by De Sotoet al. lies close toT _Q for the transverse orientation.