Observation of the vortex lattice spinodal in NbSe2.

Metastable superheated and supercooled vortex states in NbSe2 crystals were probed with fast transport measurements over a wide range of field and temperature. The limit of metastability of the superheated vortex lattice defines a line in the phase diagram that lies below the superconducting transition and is clearly separated from it. This line is identified as the vortex lattice spinodal, and is in good agreement with recent theoretical predictions by Li and Rosenstein [Phys. Rev. B 65, 220504 (2002)]; cond-mat/0305258]. By contrast, no limit of metastability is observed for the supercooled disordered state.