  In order to compare magnetic and non-magnetic pinning we have nanostructured
two superconducting films with regular arrays of pinning centers: Cu
(non-magnetic) dots in one case, and Py (magnetic) dots in the other. For low
applied magnetic fields, when all the vortices are pinned in the artificial
inclusions, magnetic dots prove to be better pinning centers, as has been
generally accepted. Unexpectedly, when the magnetic field is increased and
interstitial vortices appear, the results are very different: we show how the
stray field generated by the magnetic dots can produce an effective reduction
of the penetration length. This results in strong consequences in the transport
properties, which, depending on the dot separation, can lead to an enhancement
or worsening of the transport characteristics. Therefore, the election of the
magnetic or non-magnetic character of the pinning sites for an effective
reduction of dissipation will depend on the range of the applied magnetic
field.

Superconductivity