Effect of gamma irradiation and silver doping on YBCO superconductor

The effect of -irradiation and silver doping on the properties of YBCO superconductors has been studied by electrical resistance measurements and x-ray diffraction techniques. The zero-resistance superconducting transition temperature of (YBCO)_1–xAg _x systematically increase by about 2 K with an increase of Ag content up tox=0.04. Further increase in Ag content decreases the transition temperature. The normal-state resistance decreases up to a factor of 3.4 with an increase of Ag content. No significant change in the transition width has been observed due to silver addition up tox=0.30. Undoped YBCO and the Ag-doped specimens of (YBCO)_1.96Ag_0.04 were irradiated with-rays up to an integrated-dose of 77 MR. The normal-state resistance of the specimens gradually increases and the transition temperature slightly decreases with increase of-dose. The intensities of the x-ray diffraction peaks of the monolayers of the sample powders decrease with -irradiation without noticeable change of diffraction angles or peak widths. These observations indicate that the high-T _c supconductor YBCO is quite sensitive to-irradiation but drastic lattice expansion does not occur up to a-dose of 77 MR.     

Anisotropy of the non-equilibrium quasiparticle dynamics in single crystals of YBa2Cu3O7−δ

We report for the first time, measurements of ultrafast transients from YBCO in which the contributions from a- and b-axis response are separately identified using polarised light. A new signal is observed for Ea which has been obscured in all previous thin film experiments. Comparing the two contributions we find the new signal to be sensitive to T _c whilst the signal for Eb exhibits pseudogap behaviour.     

A universal dependence for thermal conductivity of metals and dilute alloys

A universal curve relating the maximum of thermal conductivity and its respective temperature with the residual electrical resistivity has been proposed for metals and dilute alloys. Based on the equation of that curve, a comparative analysis of selected literature data of thermal conductivity of metals, which have residual electrical resistivity in the range 10^–11<₀<10^–5. cm, have been performed. Using the data for 33 metals, confirmation of the Wiedemann-Franz law for the impurity component/T of thermal conductivity was obtained, which means that _th/_el1, where _th and _el are the parameters of the electron-lattice defect interaction obtained from measurements of thermal and electrical conductivity, respectively. Examples of the failure of the Wiedemann-Franz law are also presented, exhibiting the values of _th/_el in the range 0.16 to 25. Measurements of thermal conductivity in the range 2 to 20 K and determination of the residual electrical resistivity for the samples of Cd doped with Zn and quenched were performed, resulting in values _th/_el1.     

Investigation of the dominant point defects in tetragonal YBa2Cu3Ox at elevated temperatures

The manner in which oxygen is incorporated into YBa₂Cu₃O _x (YBCO) at 800°C for values ofx close to 6 is shown to be in the form of neutral oxygen interstitials, O _i ^x . The experimental data on which this conclusion is based are obtained from measurements of oxygen partial pressure,P(O₂), as a function of compositionx and temperatureT (5.99x 6.35, 825T1120 K). The data are obtained by a solid-state electrochemical method. Other conclusions of this study include: (a) O _i ^x are noninteracting forx 6. (b) The stoichiometric composition of YBCO isx 6.0. (c) The reaction enthalpy of oxidation is 179 kJ/mol O₂. (d) The Fermi level changes by –0.2 eV asx increases from 6.05 to 6.35.     

Critical current density and microstructure of YBa2Cu3O7 thin films post-annealed at a low oxygen partial pressure

Post-annealing of thin films of YBa₂Cu₃O₇ (YBCO) has been performed at 29 Pa and 750°C. For films 0.6 m thick, a critical current density >1 MA cm^–2 is obtained at 77 K, with a sharp eddy current response at 25 MHz. Microstructural investigation of these films by crosssectional and planar transmission electron microscopy reveals that the YBCO film has thec-axis normal to the plane of the substrate in a continuous sheet of varying thickness, frequently covering the entire thickness of the film. Mutually perpendicular rods with thec-axis in the plane of the LaAlO₃ substrate are also seen. The microstructure and critical current density of these films are compared with those of previously reported films post-annealed in atmosphericpressure oxygen.     

A New Method for the Estimation of Hc2 Anisotropy in Polycrystalline MgB2 Samples

By using isothermal magnetization measurements in polycrystalline MgB₂ samples, we estimate the H ^c _c2 in the interval [0, T _c]. By combining these measurements to the estimated H ^ab _c2 from the onset of the diamagnetic transition in isofield and isothermal magnetic measurements, an estimation of the anisotropy parameter can be achieved. The H ^c _c2 values coming from high quality polycrystalline samples agrees nicely to those obtained on single crystals. Our results show a temperature variation of the (T ) = H ^ab _c2/H^c2 with (T _c) 3.     

Growth and Characterization of YBCO Thin Films by Sequential Deposition and Annealing

A novel thin film growth procedure, sequential deposition and annealing (SDA), which contains the advantages of both in situ and ex situ procedures, was proposed. Y₁Ba₂Cu₃O_{7 – x} (YBCO) high temperature superconducting thin films were grown and characterized by the SDA procedure. Purely c-axis-oriented YBCO thin films with no foreign phases and other oriented grains were successfully prepared. The superconducting transition properties of SDA-grown YBCO thin films were measured by measurement of inductance and resistance. The inductance measurements gave a T _c ^onset of 85 K and a T _c of 5 K. The resistance measurements gave a T _c ^onset of 90 K and a T _c of 5 K. Atomic force microscopy studies showed that SDA-grown YBCO thin films had micrometer-size grains surrounded by many nanometer-size grains. The nanometer-size grains in SDA-grown YBCO thin films are responsible for degradation of superconducting transition properties.     

In situ grown superconducting YBCO films on buffered silicon substrates for device applications

Thin films of YBa₂Cu₃O_7– (YBCO) have been grownin situ on silicon single-crystal (100) substrate by using SrTiO₃ as a buffer layer. The deposition has been carried out by on-axis rf magnetron sputtering method. The deposition condition have been optimized by studying the plasma characteristics and correlating them with the superconducting performance of the film. Films deposited at substrate temperature in the range of 680–700°C from stoichiometric YBCO targets in an argon + oxygen mixture (31) are superconducting and showc-axis epitaxy. Compositional confirmation has been carried out using Rutherford backscattering. Scanning tunneling microscopy of the films reveal formation of well-defined layered structure with some defects in the initial stages ofin situ growth of the films. Films grown on SrTiO₃ substrates have excellent crystalline quality (XRD), transition temperatureT _c0=81 K and the critical current densityJ _c >2×10⁵ A/cm² for unpatterned films at 77 K. On silicon substrates using buffer layers thein situ deposited YBCO films shows a higher transition width andT _c0 is also slightly less (71 K).     

Reproducibility of transition temperature and critical current density of thin films of YBa2Cu3O7 on (100) LaAlO3

Submicrometer epitaxial films of YBa₂Cu₃O₇(YBCO) on (100) LaAlO₃ were made by coevaporation and furnace annealing. Samples from more than a dozen runs are used in this study. The zero resistance transition temperature (T _c) is high (89 or 90 K) if the film composition is phase pure (Ba/Y=2, Cu/Y=3) or if it is enriched in Ba and Cu. For these compositions the critical current density (J _c) at 77 K has an average value of 2×10⁵ A cm^–2, with a tendency for decreasingJ _c with increasing film thickness (0.2 to 0.8m). Variations inJ _c are not correlated with deviations from ideal stoichiometry. Steeper slopes of the resistance-temperature curves above 100 K and lower values of the room-temperature resistivity are associated with high values ofJ _c. If the film composition is enriched in Y relative to Ba and Cu,T _c decreases by several degrees.     

Vortex Pinning/Dynamics in YBCO Films with Jc (77 K) > 3·106 A/cm2 Studied by Direct Transport Measurements

Critical current density, J _c , is studied for highly biaxially-oriented YBCO thin films with J _c (77 K) > 3 MA/cm ² in a range of magnetic fields, temperatures, angles between magnetic field vector and film c-axis. J _c (H, ) is shown to be dominated by vortex interaction with high density (> 10 ¹¹ lines/cm ² ) of linear pins — edge dislocations. A model is developed to describe different vortex arrays behavior in the presence of two-dimensional square network of linear pins.     

YBCO Superconducting Film Coated on LaAlO<Subscript>3</Subscript> Substrate by TFA-MOD Process

Epitaxial YBCO film was coated on (001) LaAlO₃ single-crystal substrate by metalorganic deposition of metal trifluoroacetate precursors. From XRD and EDS analysis, it was observed that the film contains CuO or Cu₂BaO₂ segregation, but transport measurement found the segregation structure does not severely prevent the percolation of supercurrent-carrying material. The YBCO films performance is up to 2.4 MA/cm² with I_c of 137 A/cm-width at 77 K and 0 T, and superconducting transition temperature T_c reaches around 91.3 K with sharp transition temperature T_c of 0.36 K.     

Effect of magnetic field and temperature on the voltage-current characteristics of YBCO superconductor

Voltage-current characteristics of YBCO superconductor was studied under magnetic field up to 0.4 T at different temperatures below T_c. The critical temperature decreases and the transition width broadens under magnetic field. V-I data below T_c were fitted to a power law expression V I^(T,B) in which (T,B) is found to decrease with increase of magnetic field and temperature, gradually approaching unity as T approaches T_c, being independent of magnetic field. Similarly, (T,B) approaches unity as magnetic field increases being independent of temperature.     

Critical Behavior of 2 − Ions in Argon Gas

We measured the drift mobility of ₂ ^– ions in argon gas close to the critical point for (1.005 < T/T _c < 1.04) above T _c 150.7 K in the density range (0.025 <N/N _c< 1.733) around the bulk critical density N _c = 8.08 atoms . nm^–3. The density-normalized zero-field mobility ₀ N of the ions shows a deep minimum as a function of the gas density N as T T _c ⁺ This anomalous reduction of ₀ N occurs at a density N _m 0.76N _c. We believe that this behavior is due to the strong electrostriction exerted by the ion on the highly compressible gas. By introducing suitable contributions to the effective ion radius R due to the large gas compressibility and taking into account short-range local density and viscosity augmentation due to electrostriction, the hydrodynamic Stokes formula ₀ = e/6R, where is the gas viscosity, is in good agreement with the experimental data.     

A superconducting vibrating reed applied to flux-line pinning. II. Experiment

Measurement has been made of the resonance frequency and amplitude of a superconducting reed performing flexural vibrations as a function of a longitudinal magnetic fieldB _a and temperatureT. Drastic increases in the resonance frequency and damping are found forB _a B _c2(T). The measured increase of the resonance frequency is in agreement with the theoretical results obtained in Part I for the diamagnetic behavior produced by rigidly pinned flux lines. The measured small deviations of the resonance frequency from the rigid-pinning field-dependence make it possible to obtain the elastic pinning force (Labusch's parameter ). For an amorphous Zr₇₀Pd₃₀ sample one obtains 2.8×10¹² B _c2(T)^3.5 N m^–4 T^–3.5 atB _a =0.4B _c2(T). Use of the theory developed in Part I leads to the conclusion that the measured damping is caused by hysteretic losses due to irreversible flux-line displacements rather than by viscous losses of vibrating flux lines.On leave from Centro Atómico, Bariloche, Argentina.     

Superconducting and mechanical properties of YBCO/Ag composites fabricated at high pressures up to 5.4 GPa

The YBCO/Ag superconducting composites were fabricated by compressing powders of YBCO and silver mixed at various volume proportions 0 to 100% under pressures of 2.0 and 5.4 GPa and subsequently sintering at 900 °C for 10 h in a flowing oxygen atmosphere. The superconducting transition temperature, particularlyT _c (R=0), was found to retain the value above 85 K up to 50 vol % Ag while the normal resistivity at 300 K to reduce below 10 cm. The highestJ _c of 400 Acm^–2 was attained for the sample containing 20 vol % Ag pressed at 5.4 GPa. The mechanical properties were also improved by the addition of silver: the compressive strength is increased by two to three times and the maximum strain, which is a measure of ductility, reached a value almost four times as large as that in the pure YBCO prepared under the ordinary pressure of 0.5 GPa. The persistence of the superconducting characteristics up to 70 vol % Ag is discussed in terms of the microstructure taken with the scanning electron microscope.     

Microstructure and topological analysis of Co : Al2O3 nanocermets in new FCC and BCC metastable Co-structures

Co : Al₂O₃nanocermets are synthesized by co-reducing Co²⁺-cations dispersed in a mesoporous AlO(OH) · H₂O matrix (amorphous) in a pure H₂atmosphere at 850–1150 K. The dispersed Co²⁺-cations in pores co-reduce to separated Co-particles of controlled size, as small as 50 nm, encapsulated in thin Al₂O₃films, which are formed in-situ by molecular decomposition of the matrix, 2AlO(OH) · H₂O Al₂O₃+ (2 + 1)H₂O. The Al₂O₃film which coats Co-particles has an amorphous structure. This is possible only if it is extremely thin limited to a thickness of t< 2r _c, with r _c 1.9 nm the critical size of its nucleation and growth into a stable crystallite. The thin Al₂O₃surface film supports the formation and existence of Co-particles in a modified FCC or BCC crystal structure. As a result, unusually, large crystallites of an average 100 nm diameter could be observed. Normally, such large particles of pure Co-metal exist in an HCP structure which undergoes a reversible martensitic transformation to FCC structure at 695 K. The results are analyzed and discussed in terms of microstructure, x-ray diffraction and XPS studies of nanocermets prepared under selected conditions.     

Temperature effects on the properties of Ge thin films

The effects of substrate temperature (T_s) on the properties of vacuum evaporated p-type Ge thin films have been investigated for 25s<400°C. Increase in the substrate temperature improves the crystallinity and increases the grain size resulting a gradual change from amorphous to polycrystalline structure which was attained above a substrate temperature of 225°C. Low resistive (1×10^–2 ohm-cm) and high mobility (280 cm²/V·s) films were obtained at T_s=400°C. It has been observed that the conduction mechanism in polycrystalline films was dominated successively by hopping, tunneling and thermionic emission as the sample temperature was increased from 40 to 400 K. In amorphous samples, conduction was described in terms of different hopping mechanisms.     

Effect of Normal-State Pseudogap on Physical Quantities in Hubbard Model for Underdoped High-T c Cuprates

We develop the strong-coupling theory of coexisting charge-density-wave (CDW) and superconductivityd-wave gaps within the framework of the FLEX (fluctuation exchange) approximation for the two-dimensional Hubbard model. For nested sections of the Fermi surface these equations reduce to the previous FLEX equations for superconductivity where the squared energy gap _s ² in the denominator of the Green's function is replaced by ( _s ² + _c ² ) (here _s is the superconductivity and _c the CDW gap). We solve these equations by taking for _c a phenomenologicald-wave gap. The resulting neutron scattering intensity, spin-lattice relaxation rate 1/T₁ , Knight shift, resistivity, and photoemission intensity are in qualitative agreement with the data on underdoped high-T_c cuprates. TheT_c for superconductivity decreases and the crossover temperature T_* for 1/T₁Tincreases with increasing gap amplitude of _c which is in qualitative agreement with the phase diagram for underdoped cuprates.     

Dip-Coating of YBa2Cu3O7?δ and YBa2Cu3O7?δ-Ag Films on Polycrystalline Rare-Earth Barium Niobate Substrates

Dip-coating and partial melting technique have been used to fabricate high quality superconducting YBa₂Cu₃O_7– and YBa₂Cu₃O_7–-Ag thick films with T _c(0)=92 K on polycrystalline REBa₂NbO₆ (RE=Pr, Nd, Sm, and Eu) substrates. The superconducting films showed excellent adhesion to the REBa₂NbO₆ substrate. The effect of Ag addition in YBa₂Cu₃O_7– on the current density, microstructure, and crystal orientation of the superconducting films developed on the above substrates have been discussed in detail. Dip-coating technique was found to be one of the easiest method for obtaining good quality superconducting YBa₂Cu₃O_7– thick films with thickness as low as 3 m even on polycrystalline substrates.