We have studied the hysteretic loss and the shielding capability of structured ${\mathrm{YBa}}_2$${\mathrm{Cu}}_3$${\mathrm{O}}_7$ thin films in transverse ac magnetic fields between 1 μT and 1 mT. The normalized value of the ac susceptibility as a function of reduced ac field h/${\mathrm{h}}_{\mathrm{m}}$ (${\mathrm{h}}_{\mathrm{m}}$ being the ac field at the dissipation maximum) shows no temperature dependence and is independent of the geometry. The ac field dependence can be well understood with recently published theories for thin superconductors in transverse geometry by Mikheenko and Kuzovlev (disk) and by Brandt (strip).

• Received 15 October 1996

DOI:https://doi.org/10.1103/PhysRevB.55.11816