Single crystals of ${\mathrm{Bi}}_2$${\mathrm{Sr}}_2$${\mathrm{CaCu}}_2$${\mathrm{O}}_{8\mathrm{-}\mathrm{\delta }}$ were irradiated with 50-MeV ${}_{}{}^{16}{}_{}{}^{}\mathrm{O}_{}^{+6\mathrm{}}{}_{}{}^{}$ along the c axis. Using a single coil as a noncontact probe, the transition temperature and the critical current of the samples were measured in situ as a function of total beam fluence. We observe an increase and a subsequent decrease in the critical current at 60, 75, and 80 K with a peak corresponding to fluences of ∼1×${10}^{13}$ ions/${\mathrm{cm}}^2$. Up to this fluence the transition temperature remained a constant. Higher fluences caused a decrease in both the transition temperature and the critical current. The results are discussed in terms of a simple model assuming the ion-induced defects cause flux pinning sites.

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