We show that in type-II superconductors a magnetic field applied transversely to correlated columnar disorder drives a phase transition to a distinct “smectic” vortex glass (SmVG) state. SmVG is characterized by an infinitely anisotropic electrical transport, resistive (dissipationless) for current perpendicular to (along) columnar defects. Its positional order is also quite unusual, long-ranged with true Bragg peaks along columnar defects and logarithmically rough vortex lattice distortions with quasi-Bragg peaks transverse to columnar defects. For low temperatures and sufficiently weak columnar-only disorder, SmVG is a true topologically ordered “Bragg glass,” characterized by a vanishing dislocation density. At sufficiently long scales the residual ever-present point disorder converts this state to a more standard but highly anisotropic vortex glass.

• Received 11 May 2021
• Accepted 15 July 2021

DOI:https://doi.org/10.1103/PhysRevB.104.024510