Magnetic nanorod - superconductor hybrid near the superconducting transition temperature

We report measurements of the magnetoresistance and phase diagram of a lead-bismuth (82{\%} Pb and 18{\%} Bi) superconducting film with an embedded square array of Ni nanorods near the superconducting transition temperature. Magnetoresistance above Tc demonstrates oscillations compatible with flux quantization through the unit cell of the magnetic nanorod array. Strong hysteresis of the superconducting properties and an apparent increase of the second critical field is found.