Multifractal scaling of flux penetration in the iron-based superconductor Ba(Fe_0.93Co_0.07)₂As₂

The penetration of magnetic flux fronts in the optimally doped iron-based superconductor Ba(Fe_1-xCo_x)₂As₂ (x=0.07±0.005) is studied by means of magneto-optical imaging and Bitter decoration. The higher-order analysis of roughening and growth of the magnetic flux front reveals anomalous scaling properties, indicative of non-Gaussian correlations of the disorder potential. While higher-order spatial correlation functions reveal multifractal behavior for the roughening, the usual Kardar-Parisi-Zhang growth exponent is found. Both exponents are found to be independent of temperature. The scaling behavior is manifestly different from that found for other modes of flux penetration, such as that mediated by avalanches, suggesting that multiscaling is a powerful tool for the characterization of roughened interfaces. We propose a scenario for vortex penetration based on two-dimensional percolation and cluster aggregation for an inhomogeneously disordered superconductor.