A new type of peak effect in the magnetization of anisotropic superconductors

Experimental and theoretical studies of the magnetization curves $M(H)$ obtained for plates of an anisotropic hard superconductor are performed. The samples are YBCO single-domain textured crystals with the $\mathbf c$ axis lying in the sample plane. It is shown that, for some orientations of the magnetic field in the sample plane, the magnetization curves contain additional extrema; at the same time, the virgin magnetization curve $M(H)$ exhibits features characteristic of the peak effect. This proves that the anisotropy of the current-carrying ability can give rise to a new type of peak effect.