Breakdown characteristics of Z continuous winding in HTS transformer

For the development of electrical insulation design of a HTS transformer with Z continuous winding, we have discussed insulation composition and investigated breakdown characteristics such as breakdown of LN₂, polymer and surface flashover on FRP and breakdown-surface combination in LN₂. Also we have designed and manufactured a bobbin that has spiral slot for the Z continuous winding. A Z continuous winding mini-model from Kapton film insulated Cu tape for simulated 22.9 kV class HTS transformer has been constructed using 0.1% breakdown strength obtained by Weibull distribution. The winding model was measured with respect to its insulation characteristics such as ac (50 kV, 1 min) and impulse (154 kV, 1.2 × 50 μs full wave, 3 times) withstand test and its excellent performance was confirmed.     

Characteristics of critical current of superconducting solenoid wound with the stacked tape

The high-T_c superconducting (HTS) magnet is an important element for developing HTS power equipments such as the dc reactor of the inductive type superconducting fault current limiter (SFCL). In order to use the HTS magnet for the large-scale power system, its critical current needs to be high enough. Generally, the double pancake HTS magnet has the severe decrease in the critical current because of magnetic field perpendicular to the tape surface. To fabricate a high critical current magnet, we wound a solenoid with the stacked tape. In this paper, the characteristics of the critical current of the HTS solenoid wound with the stacked tape were investigated. The results of this research can be used as the background data for the design of the large-scale HTS magnet.     

The electric characteristics of HTS double-pancake coil with AC pulse over currents

A double pancake coil was designed and manufactured with a 36-m long Bi-2223/Ag tape. The tape was insulated by 25 μm thick Kapton tapes, which can stand a voltage of 400 V_rms in liquid nitrogen. The whole double pancake was impregnated with epoxy resin. AC over-current experiments of the coil were performed by applying constant AC voltages to the two terminals of the coil and lasted for 3 s. The experiment began first at a lower voltage of 33.6 V_rms, and then the voltage stepped up till the coil was burned out at the pulse voltage of 202.7 V_rms. All of the experiments were carried out with the coil dipped in liquid nitrogen. The current waveforms were measured. The impedance and resistance characters of the HTS coil with its over pulse currents were analyzed from the experiment results. At the end of this paper, some conclusions derived from the experiment results and their analyses are given, which are helpful for the safety operating of the HTS coils in power applications.     

Effects of local characteristics on the performance of full length Bi2223 multifilamentary tapes

The effects of local characteristics on the performance of full length Bi2223 multifilamentary tapes are investigated computationally and experimentally at 77 K and self-field. Generally the current-voltage characteristics of superconductors are described by the standard power law model with parameters such as critical current I_c and index n. By measuring the critical current {I_ci} and index {n_i} values of local tapes, we can get the critical current I_c and n value of full length tapes by means of statistical method. The results show that the distribution of local critical currents are non-uniform, and local critical currents have important effect on the performance of the entire tapes. The critical current of the entire tape is different from the mean value of local critical current based on Gaussian statistical distribution along the long tape.     

Performance improvement and optimization of a high-temperature superconducting coil having different transport current portions by employing persistent current mode

To improve the performance of a high-temperature superconducting (HTS) coil, it is important to improve its transport current performance. In general, the critical current and n-value of an HTS (Bi-2223/Ag) tape depend on the applied magnetic fields and the angle between the magnetic field and the tape under a constant temperature. The critical currents in the coil edge of the tapes are particularly low because of the distribution of the magnetic fields. However, the critical currents in the central portion remain high. A large amount of current can be supplied to the central portion and the coil performance will improve by supplying different currents between these areas. In this study, I propose an HTS coil in which the coil edge and central portion are isolated for each excitation. Namely, I employ the characteristics of the persistent current mode. The analysis of varying regions of current separation confirmed an optimum current separation. This optimized coil improves the central magnetic field by 21% and the stored energy by 50% compared to those of a normal rectangular coil with an HTS tape of the same length.     

Low-temperature tensile strength of the ITER-TF model coil insulation system after reactor irradiation

The windings of the superconducting magnet coils for the ITER-FEAT fusion device are affected by high mechanical stresses at cryogenic temperatures and by a radiation environment, which impose certain constraints especially on the insulating materials. A glass fiber reinforced plastic (GFRP) laminate, which consists of Kapton/R-glass-fiber reinforcement tapes, vacuum-impregnated in a DGEBA epoxy system, was used for the European toroidal field model coil turn insulation of ITER. In order to assess its mechanical properties under the actual operating conditions of ITER-FEAT, cryogenic (77 K) static tensile tests and tension-tension fatigue measurements were done before and after irradiation to a fast neutron fluence of 1×10²² m⁻² (E>0.1 MeV), i.e. the ITER-FEAT design fluence level. We find that the mechanical strength and the fracture behavior of this GFRP are strongly influenced by the winding direction of the tape and by the radiation induced delamination process. In addition, the composite swells by 3%, forming bubbles inside the laminate, and loses weight (1.4%) at the design fluence.     

Growth and properties of transparent p-NiO/n-ITO (In2O3:Sn) p-n junction thin film diode

We have grown “all oxide” transparent p-n junction thin film nanostructure device by using chemical solution deposition and E-beam evaporation onto SiO₂ substrate. Combined grazing incidence X-ray diffraction and atomic force microscopy confirm phase pure, mono-disperse 30 nm NiO and 2 at. wt.% Sn doped In₂O₃ (ITO) nanocrystallites. Better than 70% optical transparency, at a wavelength of 600 nm, is achieved across 160 nm thick p-n junction. The optical band gap across the junction was found to decrease as compared to the intrinsic ITO and NiO. The current-voltage (I-V) characteristics show rectifying nature with dynamic transfer resistance ratio of the order of 10³ in the forward bias condition. Very small reverse leakage current with appreciable breakdown was observed under the reverse bias condition. The observed optical and electrical properties of oxide transparent diode are attributed to the heteroepitaxial nature and carrier diffusion at the junction interface.     

Heat conduction and thermal stabilization in YBCO tape

Yttrium barium copper oxide (YBCO) coated conductors are widely used in the conduction-cooled superconducting magnets with rapid development in refrigeration technologies at present. ‘Quench’ is a state that refers to the irreversible and uncontrolled superconductor to resistive transitions in the superconductor. The propagation of ‘quench’ or ‘normal zone’ has different characteristics in these high temperature superconductors (HTS) compared to low temperature superconductors. The superconductor to normal index, known as ‘n’ is much flatter in HTS. The hot spot emerging in local region due to quench and non-uniform critical current may cause permanent damage to whole HTS tape and hence the magnet winding pack. Thus it is necessary to determine the temperature profile along the length of HTS tape under a given energy (joule heating) such that propagation of the hot spot developed locally can be prevented early. In this study, a one dimensional, time dependent heat diffusion equation with appropriate boundary conditions are used to describe the consequences of the normal zone propagation resulting in the temperature diffusion in a HTS tape. The results demonstrate the necessity of adequate cooling of the edges of the flat HTS tapes to prevent irreversible normal zone transitions.     

A study on the surface flashover characteristics for a HTS cable termination

Terminal technology is important component to a HTS cable as well as a conventional cable. HTS cable terminations are required when the insulated shield HTS cables connect with other conductors such as a bus or a overhead lines. HTS cable terminations must span a temperature range from 77 K to 300 K. The termination is insulated with insulating oil or air, cryogenic gaseous nitrogen and liquid nitrogen. Particularly, difficult conditions for high voltage insulation had to be overcome with HTS cable. And, several environments can substantially raise the flashover possibility at the HTS cable termination. Therefore, in order to insulating design of HTS cable termination, this paper will report on experimental investigations of the surface flashover characteristics under various surface length and GFRP thickness in the atmospheric air, transformer oil, LN₂ at atmospheric pressure and complex condition.     

Electrical failure of piezoelectric ceramics with a conductive crack under electric fields

The failure behavior of piezoelectric ceramics with a conductive crack under purely electric loading is investigated. Electrical fracture tests are conducted to study the influence of the directions of poling and electric loading. Two failure modes of piezoelectric materials are observed: fracture that is accompanied with dielectric discharging and the formation of tubular channels without fracture. The critical J integrals at the onset of both fracture and breakdown are calculated numerically via finite element analysis. The effects of both the direction of the electric field and the poling direction on both fracture and breakdown resistance are discussed.     

Impulse strength of liquid nitrogen-impregnated taped cable insulation

The impulse breakdown strengths of cylindrical models wrapped with six layers of tape are given for several tape materials. Impulse strength is seen to decrease with increase in tape thickness and follows a law of the form kE = t^?c.All materials except Tyvek are seen to have impulse strengths which are independent of pressure.     

Influence of oxygen/argon pressure ratio on the morphology, optical and electrical properties of ITO thin films deposited at room temperature

Transparent conductive oxides (TCOs) such as indium tin oxide (ITO) thin films onto glass substrates are widely used as transparent and conductive electrodes for a variety of technological applications including flat panel displays, solar cells, smart windows, touch screens, etc.ITO films on glass and polycarbonate (PC) substrates were prepared at room temperature (RT) and at different PO₂. The films were characterized in terms of the surface roughness (δ), sheet resistance, the refractive index (n) and extinction coefficient (k). The free carrier density (n_c) and the carrier mobility (μ) of the ITO (In₂O₃:Sn) films were measured and studied. The n_c and μ values vary in different ratio of oxygen partial pressure (PO₂) of ITO deposition. The observed changes in the ITO film resistivity are due to the combined effect of different parameter values for n_c and μ. From AFM analysis and spectra calculations, the surface roughness values of the ITO films were studied and it was observed that the δ values were lower than 15 nm. The energy band gap E_g ranges from 3.26 eV to 3.66 eV as determined from the absorption spectrum. It was observed an increase on the energy band gap as the PO₂ decrease in the range of 20-2% PO₂. The Lorentz oscillator classical model has also been used to fit the ellipsometric spectra in order to obtain both refractive index n and extinction coefficient κ values.     

Electrical characteristics of high-Tc superconducting mini-model cable under mechanical stresses in liquid nitrogen

To develop 22.9 kV class high-T_c superconducting (HTS) cable in Korea, we have been studying electrical insulation properties of dielectric paper, such as breakdown voltage, partial discharge, which is one of the HTS cable structure elements. However, the research on the mechanical stress of dielectric paper compared to breakdown properties of dielectric paper is insufficient. A cracking and variation of the electrical insulation due to mechanical stresses during cooling and bending of HTS cables in cryogenic temperature is a serious problem. Thus, we investigated tensile stress and breakdown stress of dielectric paper under mechanical stress. Moreover, we manufactured mini-model cables investigated breakdown stress under bending stress to design a cable drum for conveyance. In the AC, impulse and partial discharge properties, all test results showed a similar tendency, and the suitable bending radius ratio R/r was decided to be more than 25.     

Characterization of electron irradiated GaN n-p diode

Electron-beam irradiated GaN n⁺-p diodes were characterized by deep level transient spectroscopy (DLTS) and optical responsivity measurements. The GaN n⁺-p diode structures were grown by metal organic chemical vapor deposition technique, and the electron irradiation was done by the energies of 1 MeV and 2 MeV with dose of 1 × 10¹⁶ cm^− 2. In DLTS measurement, the defect states of E_c − 0.36 eV and E_c − 0.44 eV in the electron irradiated diodes appeared newly. The optical responsivity of GaN n⁺-p diode was characterized in ultra-violet region, and then the maximum optical responsivity at 350 nm was decreased after electron-beam irradiation.     

Effects of deposition parameters on SiCln (n=0-2) densities in SiCl4 glow discharge plasma

The relative densities of SiCl_n (n=0-2) in SiCl₄ radio frequency (rf) glow discharge plasma are measured by mass spectrometry. The effects of discharge parameters, including rf power, discharge pressure, substrate temperature and SiCl₄ flow rate on the relative densities of SiCl_n (n=0-2) are investigated in detail. The experimental results demonstrate that the relative densities of SiCl_n (n=0-2) in SiCl₄ plasma are dependent strongly on these discharge parameters. An optimum configuration of discharge parameters (low rf power, high discharge pressure, low substrate temperature and low flow rate), which enhanced the formation of SiCl_n (n=0-2) radicals, was searched. Further, researching of SiCl_n (n=0-2) spatial distribution for seeking a suitable deposition condition is beneficial for understanding the deposition mechanism of thin films.     

Dependence of spectral shape of bremsstrahlung spectra on atomic number of target materials in the photon energy range of 5-30 keV

Dependence of spectral shape of total bremsstrahlung spectra i.e. the sum of ordinary bremsstrahlung (OB) and polarization bremsstrahlung (PB), on the atomic number (Z) of target materials (Al, Ti, Sn and Pb), produced by continuous beta particles of ⁹⁰Sr and ²⁰⁴Tl, has been investigated in the photon energy region of 5-30 keV. It has been found that the spectral shape of total bremsstrahlung spectra, in terms of S (k, Z) i.e. the number of photons of energy k per m_oc² per beta disintegration, is not linearly dependent on the atomic number (Z) of the target material and rather it is proportional to Zⁿ. At lower photon energies, the index values ‘n’ of Z-dependence are much higher than unity, which is due to the larger contribution of PB into OB. The decrease in ‘n’ values with increase of photon energy is due to the decrease in contribution of PB into OB. It is clear that the index ‘n’ values obtained from the modified Elwert factor (relativistic) Bethe-Heitler theory, which include the contribution PB into OB, are in agreement with the experimentally measured results using X-PIPS Si(Li) detector. Hence the contribution of PB into the formation of a spectral shape of total bremsstrahlung spectra plays a vital role.     

Solutions of the second elastic-plastic fracture mechanics parameter in test specimens

Extensive finite element analyses have been conducted to obtain solutions of the A-term, which is the second parameter in three-term elastic-plastic asymptotic expansion, for test specimens. Three mode I crack plane-strain test specimens, i.e. single edge cracked plate (SECP), center cracked plate (CCP) and double edge cracked plate (DECP) were studied. The crack geometries analyzed included shallow to deep cracks. Solutions of A-term were obtained for material following the Ramberg-Osgood power law with hardening exponent of n = 3, 4, 5, 7 and 10. Remote tension loading was applied which covers from small-scale to large-scale yielding. Based on the finite element results, empirical equations to predict the A-terms under small-scale yielding (SSY) to large-scale yielding conditions were developed. In addition, by using the relationships between A and other commonly used second fracture parameters such as Q factor and A₂-term, the present solutions can be used to calculate parameters A₂ and Q as well. The results presented in the paper are suitable to calculate the second elastic-plastic fracture parameters for test specimens for a wide range of crack geometries, material strain hardening behaviors and loading conditions.     

Characterization of interface states at Au/SnO2/n-Si (MOS) structures

The purpose of this paper is to characterize the interface states in Au/SnO₂/n-Si (MOS) structures. The characteristic parameters of the interface states are derived from capacitance-voltage (C-V) and conductance-voltage (G/ω-V) measurements as a function of frequency. The C-V and G/ω-V measurements have been carried out in the frequency range of 1 kHz to 1 MHz at room temperature. At each frequency, the measured capacitance and conductance decrease with increasing frequency due to a continuous distribution of the interface states. The frequency dispersion in capacitance and conductance can be interpreted in terms of the interface state density (N_ss) and series resistance (R_s). Especially at low frequencies, the interface states can follow the ac signal and yield an excess capacitance. Due to a continuous density distribution of interface states, the C and G/ω values decrease in depletion region with increasing frequencies. At high frequencies, the effect of series resistance on the capacitance is found appreciable due to the interface state capacitance decreasing with increasing frequency. Experimental results show that the locations of interface states between SnO₂/Si and series resistance have a significant effect on electrical characteristics of MOS structures.     

Effect of the post-deposition annealing on electrical characteristics of MIS structures with HfO2/SiO2 gate dielectric stacks

In this work, we report on effects of post-deposition annealing on electrical characteristics of metal–insulator–semiconductor (MIS) structures with HfO₂/SiO₂ double gate dielectric stacks. Obtained results have shown the deterioration of electro-physical properties of MIS structures, e.g. higher interface traps density in the middle of silicon forbidden band (D_itmb), as well as non-uniform distribution and decrease of breakdown voltage (U_br) values, after annealing above 400 °C. Two potential hypothesis of such behavior were proposed: the formation of interfacial layer between hafnia and silicon dioxide and the increase of crystallinity of HfO₂ due to the high temperature treatment. Furthermore, the analysis of conduction mechanisms in investigated stacks revealed Poole–Frenkel (P–F) tunneling at broad range of electric field intensity.