Vortex-induced voltage instabilities in a superconducting BSCCO thin film

Flux-induced voltage switching events assuming the form of random telegraph signals have been investigated in a current biased Bi/sub 2/Sr/sub 2/Ca/sub 1/Cu/sub 2/O/sub 8+x/ (BSCCO) thin film, at weak magnetic fields (<10 G) and at temperatures ranging below 7 K. The observed phenomena cannot be framed within traditional theoretical models. Rather, they strongly indicate two distinct vortex dynamical states at the basis of the switching events. A novel interpretation is proposed, relying on the random decay of a flux-creep process in the superconductor.