Scaling relations in magnetic, mechanical and superconducting pinning theory

The coercive field in ferromagnetic materials, the critical shear stress in alloys, and the critical current density in type-II superconductors are represented in terms of powers of the defect density, the strength and the range of the defect interaction, and of the rigidity of the domain wall, dislocation line, or flux line lattice, for the three types of material respectively. Between the exponents of these parameters general relations are valid which have to be satisfied by each detailed theory. These scaling relations hold for both, attractive and repulsive obstacles. A general rule is given on how to combine the pinning forces of different kind of obstacles. (author)