Transport Ic measurement technique with non-soldered contacts for Ag-sheathed high Tc superconductors

A transport current measurement technique suitable for the technological development of hightemperature superconducting tapes has been designed. The main advantage of the technique presented is in the application of non-soldered current and voltage contacts which allows measurement of the same element of superconducting tape at different technological states (roll-sinter or press-sinter step). Voltage-current characteristics can be measured in self field as well as in external magnetic field at 77 K or 4.2 K and at different field orientations. The technique capabilities are demonstrated by presenting I_c data obtained from Bi(2223)/Ag tape.