Magnetic pinning in inhomogeneous type II superconductors

The magnetic structure of a vortex in the presence of an anisotropic inhomogeneity distribution is calculated within the London model. The anisotropic supercurrent pattern consists of closed current loops, superimposed on a backflow pattern. The nonvanishing current density at the vortex core gives rise to an intrinsic Lorentz force identical with the pinning force resulting from the spatial variation of the vortex self-energy.