The Effect of Silver Substitution in Bi1.7Pb0.3Sr2Ca2?xAgxCu3Oy

The effect of Ag substitution on the properties of high-temperature superconductor Bi_1.7Pb_0.3Sr₂Ca_2−x Ag _x Cu₃O _y system have been investigated. The electrical and structural properties of the samples, prepared by the conventional solid-state reaction method, have been characterized by X-ray diffraction (XRD), electrical resistance and scanning electron microscopy (SEM) studies. XRD analysis reveals a multiphase structure of the samples, whereas SEM micrographs indicate some morphological changes induced by silver addition. It was found that an increase of the amount of Ag₂O addition leads to an enhancement of the critical temperature and the percentage of Bi-2223 phase in the phase mixture.     

A Study of the Magnetic Properties of?Bi1.64?xPb0.36CdxSr2Ca2Cu3Oy Superconductor

The flux pinning energy and magnetic properties of Bi_1.64−x Pb_0.36Cd _x Sr₂Ca₂Cu₃O _y (BPCSCCO) with x=0.0, 0.02, 0.04 and 0.06 were studied. A series of Bi-2223 superconductor samples with a nominal composition of BPCSCCO was synthesized and the effect of Cd substitution for Bi was investigated. As a result, Cd addition has been found to improve the superconducting properties of the Bi-Pb-Sr-Ca-Cu-O system. The effects of the annealing time and the amount of Cd doping on the structure, AC magnetic susceptibility, ρ–T curves and flux pinning energy were investigated. Also, for all samples the relation between the current and voltage in the mixed state was found to follow the model relationship V=α I ^β . The maximum value of β is 22.30, which is obtained for the sample with an annealing time of 270 h and a Cd content of 0.04.     

Significant Improvement in Superconductivity by Substituting Pb at Bi-site in Bi2?xPbxSr2CaCu2O8 with x=0.0 to 0.40

Here we report the synthesis and superconducting properties of bulk Bi_2−x Pb _x Sr₂CaCu₂O₈ (x=0.0 to 0.4) compound. Though the superconducting transition temperature (T _c) decreases marginally, the critical current density under magnetic field J _c(H) increases with Pb content. An optimization is observed for x=0.16 with J _c(H) (7.894×10³ A/cm²) that is nearly doubled in comparison to the pristine compound. It seems that controlled substitution of Pb at Bi-site in bulk Bi-2212 (Bi₂Sr₂CaCu₂O₈) system can enhance the superconducting critical parameters. These results are explained on the basis of possible improved inter- and intra-granular properties with Pb substitution in Bi_2−x Pb _x Sr₂CaCu₂O₈ system.     

Characterization of epitaxial Bi2Sr2CaCu2O8+δ thin films

We report a dc sputtering method for the fullin situ preparation of Bi₂Sr₂CaCu₂O₈₊ thin films on SrTiO₃ and LaAlO₃.T _c values of more than 90 K can be achieved by oxidizing annealing below the melting point, followed by a reducing anneal at 500°C. The structural properties of the films are revealed by X-ray diffraction in Bragg-Brentano geometry (strongc-axis orientation with FWHM (0 0 10)=0.3) and also by scans (epitaxy within the substrate plane). Rutherford backscattering and channeling confirmed the correct composition of the cations while the minimum yield, _min, is 23%. Depth profiles by SNMS show a very homogeneous distribution of the cations with no detectable loss of bismuth near the surface. The surface morphology of the films was studied by SEM and by STM. Patterning of the films in lateral geometry can be performed by photolithographic techniques without degradation ofT _c .     

Superconductivity of YBa2?xNdxCu3Oy Solid Solution

The solubility of Nd at the Ba sites and the superconductivity of YBa_2–x Nd _x Cu₃O _y were investigated by X-ray powder diffraction and measurements of the electrical resistance and ac susceptibility. The single Re123 phase was obtained for x0.30. The onset transition temperature is insensitive to the Nd content x in the region of x0.40. All are higher than 95 K. The zero resistance transition temperatures , however, exhibits two-step variation with the increase of x. For x0.25, are all above 92 K. The highest of 94 K was obtained for x=0.25. For x0.3 drops sharply to about 84 K. Finally falls to 30 K and is below 10 K for x=0.5. The two-step variation of T _c might be an indication of the existence of two trap levels for holes.     

Growth and Accurate Characterization of Bi2Sr2?xLaxCuO6+δ Single Crystals

High-quality and various doped Bi₂Sr_2−x La _x CuO_6+δ (x=0–0.90) single crystals were obtained by floating-zone method. Analysis of the thermal behavior indicated an incongruent melt for all the doped compounds. The segregation coefficient of La related to Sr was estimated to be ∼1.02. Chemical compositions including the La doping in the crystals were accurately determined to study the effect of doping on the structural, chemical and superconducting property of the compounds. Raman spectra were performed to show the high-frequency modes 627 cm⁻¹ softened with increasing the doping level of La. Implications of the doping effect on crystals for understanding the superconductivity are discussed.     

Scanning Tunneling Spectroscopy on Overdoped Bi2Sr2?xLaxCuO6+δ

We have performed low-temperature scanning tunneling spectroscopy on overdoped Bi₂Sr_2−x La _x CuO_6+δ (x=0.1 and 0.2) at 4.2 K. The tunneling spectra in both samples obviously exhibit two energy gaps: one has clear gap structure with sharp gap edge peaks, and another is observed as kinks inside the larger gap. Both the energy gaps inhomogeneously vary on the surface at nanometer scale, and their values positively correlate each other. The distributions of both gaps normalized to the mean values are identical independent of the doping level. These results suggest that the two gaps are commonly affected by the source of the electronic disorder.     

Investigation of the quasi-ternary system LaMnO3–LaCoO3–“LaCuO3”. II: The series LaMn0.25?xCo0.75?xCu2xO3?δ and LaMn0.75?xCo0.25?xCu2xO3?δ

This paper investigates the crystal structure, thermal expansion, and electrical conductivity of two series of perovskites (LaMn_0.25−x Co_0.75−x Cu_2x O_3−δ and LaMn_0.75−x Co_0.25−x Cu_2x O_3−δ with x = 0, 0.025, 0.05, 0.1, 0.15, 0.2, and 0.25) in the quasi-ternary system LaMnO₃–LaCoO₃–“LaCuO₃”. The Mn/Co ratio was found to have a stronger influence on these properties than the Cu content. In comparison to the Co-rich series (LaMn_0.25−x Co_0.75−x Cu_2x O_3−δ), the Mn-rich series (LaMn_0.75−x Co_0.25−x Cu_2x O_3−δ) showed a much higher Cu solubility. All compositions in this series were single-phase materials after calcination at 1100 °C. The Co-rich series showed higher thermal expansion coefficients (α_max = 19.6 × 10⁻⁶ K⁻¹) and electrical conductivity (σ_max = 730 S/cm at 800 °C) than the Mn-rich series (α_max = 10.6 × 10⁻⁶ K⁻¹, σ_max = 94 S/cm at 800 °C). Irregularities in the thermal expansion curves indicated phase transitions at 150–350 °C for the Mn-rich series, while partial melting occurred at 980–1000 °C for the Co-rich series with x > 0.15. I. Arul Raj—on leave from Central Electrochemical Research Institute, Karaikudi, 630006 India.     

Stabilization of the anatase phase of Ti1?xSnxO2 (x < 0.5) nanofibers

We experimentally investigate the stabilization of the anatase phase of Ti_1−x Sn _x O₂ (x < 0.5) nanofibers when synthesized by an electrospinning method. The as-spun nanofibers became nano-grained, polycrystalline nanofibers after calcination and the diameters of the nanofibers depend on Sn content. Stabilization of the anatase phase in Ti-rich compositions and incorporation of Sn ions were confirmed by X-ray diffraction, Raman, X-ray absorption near-edge structure, and photoluminescence (PL) spectroscopies. Results from the PL study also demonstrated the tunable nature of the optical properties, with the emission maximum shifting towards higher wavelength with increasing Sn concentration.      

Ag/Bi2Sr2CaCu2Ox复合材料摩擦学特性

釆用固态反应法合成超导体Bi₂Sr₂CaCu₂O_x(Bi2212),使用摩擦实验机从液氮温度至室温对其摩擦学特性进行研究。研究表明：室温Bi2212与不锈钢盘对摩时摩擦系数约为0.35,当温度降至超导转变温度以下(液氮温度),摩擦系数大幅度降低至0.11,非常稳定。为改善Bi2212常温摩擦性能,添加Ag制备出Ag/Bi2212超导复合材料,XRD、SEM和EDS分析表明,Ag未进入Bi2212晶格,保证了Bi2212的超导电性,Ag的添加提高了复合材料密度和韧性,在正常载荷和滑行速度下Ag质量分数为10 %时摩擦系数为0.2,15%Ag/Bi2212磨损率最低,为9. 5×10-5 mm3 (N·m)-1。分布基体中的Ag能有效抑制裂纹萌生和扩展并在摩擦作用下向表面转移,在摩擦表面形成一层Ag转移膜,其低剪切强度起到很好的润滑作用,同时将摩擦产生的热量及时传导出去,使复合材料表现出良好的减摩耐磨性能。     

Substitution Effect of Ba for Sr on Superconductivity in?the?(Pb0.75P0.25)(Sr2?xBax)(Y0.4Ca0.6)Cu2Oz System

The Pb-based 1212 compounds containing phosphorus were already discovered by us in the (Pb,P)Sr₂(Y,Ca)Cu₂O _z system. Among the almost-single phase samples, a sample with the nominal composition of (Pb_0.75P_0.25)Sr₂(Y_0.4Ca_0.6)Cu₂O _z was a superconductor with the highest T _c of 38 K in the system. Recently, we have been investigating on substitution effect of Ba for Sr on superconductivity in the (Pb_0.75P_0.25)(Sr_2−x Ba _x )(Y_0.4Ca_0.6)Cu₂O _z system. As a result, it is found that the almost–single 1212 phase samples are obtained in the composition area of 0.0≤x≤0.4. In this area, with increase of x, the lattice parameters a,c and the cell volume V are found to be gradually increasing. This finding can be considered to show that larger Ba²⁺ ions certainly occupied the Sr-sites in the sample. However, we obtain such interesting results as that the T _c value is not so enhanced by the substitution in comparison with that of the sample of x=0.0, and that the maximum value of T _c was 40 K for x=0.2 and 0.3 at the best.     

The effect of Sm substitution on properties of Bi1.6Pb0.4Sr2Ca2? x Sm x Cu3O y superconductors

The effect of the partial substitution of Ca by Sm in the Bi-2223 superconducting samples have been investigated in terms of X-ray diffraction (XRD), EDXRF (Energy Dispersive X-ray Fluorescent), magnetoresistivity, critical temperature, transport critical current density, and ac susceptibility measurements. The samples were prepared by the conventional solid-state reaction method. XRD patterns are used to calculate lattice parameters and phase ratio of the Bi-2223 samples. The volume fraction was determined from the intensities of Bi-2223 and Bi-2212 peaks. The room temperature XRD patterns of the samples showed the presence of Bi-2223 phase decreases with increasing the Sm content. We estimated the transition temperature of the samples from the resistivity versus temperature measurements in dc magnetic fields up to 0.6 T. We observed that transition temperature, T _c , and transport critical current density, , depend on the Sm substitution. They both decrease with increasing the Sm substitution. We extracted the peak temperature, T _p , and the pinning force density from our previous ac susceptibility measurements. The pinning force density decreased with increasing the Sm content. The possible reasons for the observed decreases in critical temperature and critical current density due to Sm substitution were discussed.     

The Pseudogap and the Superconducting Order Parameter in Inhomogeneous Bi2Sr2CaCu2O8+δ

Recent experiments on Bi₂Sr₂CaCu₂O₈₊ (Bi2212) have provided compelling evidence that the samples are inhomogeneous on a nanoscale, with spatially separated superconducting gap (SG) and nonsuperconducting, pseudogap (PG) regions that arise from hole–hole and particle–hole pairings, respectively. We compare and contrast the nonphase sensitive experiments that cannot distinguish these orderings from the phase-sensitive experiments that can. Although the wave vector dependence of the pseudogap is highly anisotropic, we conclude that in Bi2212, the c-axis quasiparticle tunneling is incoherent and that the c-axis supercurrent arises solely from a rather isotropic s-wave superconducting order parameter (OP) for T < T_c.     

Enhancement of the Current Density J C for Bi2Sr2CaCu2O8 by?Means of Carbon and NbSe2 Nanotubes

Three polycrystalline Bi₂Sr₂CaCu₂O₈, Bi₂Sr₂CaCu₂O₈ with carbon nanotubes, Bi₂Sr₂CaCu₂O₈ with NbSe₂ nanotubes were synthesized by solid state reaction method and studied by scanning electron microscopy, X-ray diffraction, magnetization measurements, and high resolution transmission electron microscopy. The critical temperature T _C for the three compounds was about 85 K. There is an enhancement in the critical current density, J _C for samples with carbon and NbSe₂ nanotubes as compared with pure Bi₂Sr₂CaCu₂O₈. The enhancement provides evidence that wetting exists for the two doped samples investigated.      

Ultrafast Phase-Coherence in Normal State of Underdoped Bi2Sr2CaCu2O8 + δ Thin Film

A phase-sensitive time-domain terahertz-transmission spectroscopy was carried out on a c-axis oriented underdoped Bi₂Sr₂CaCu₂O_{8 +} thin film. We directly extracted the complex refractive index and conductivity at frequencies from 0.3 to 1.5 THz by numerically solving the observed complex transmittance without Kramers–Kronig analysis. The frequency-resolved real and imaginary part of the conductivity (1.0 THz < f) showed a measurable increase below the characteristic temperature of T* 210 K because of the appearance of partial phase-coherence with an ultrashort lifetime less than about 1 ps.     

Structure, Phonon Vibration, and Spin Correlation of LaBa2Cu3?xCoxOy

Polycrystalline samples LaBa₂Cu_3–xCo _x O _y (0 x 1.0) were synthesized by solid state reaction method. The structure, phonon vibration, conduction, and spin correlation were investigated by means of X-ray diffraction, infrared spectra, resistivity, and electron spin resonance. It is found that there are orthorhombic–tetragonal and tetragonal–orthorhombic structural transitions with Co doping, and the conduction behavior changes from metallic to semiconducting. With the increase of Co content, the Cu(1)—O(1) phonon mode around 531 cm^–1 softens, the Cu(2)—O(2) phonon mode around 657 cm^–1 hardens, and the Cu(1)—O(4) mode around 583 cm^–1 is nearly unchanged. The Cu²⁺ spins tend to localize with Co doping. The changes in structure, phonon vibration, and spin correlation with Co doping are analyzed and discussed.     

Substitution Effect of Sn for Cu in the Bi2Sr2CaCu2?xSnxO8+δ System

The Bi₂Sr₂CaCu₂O₈₊ system samples doped with Sn on Cu sites were synthesized. Resistivity temperature dependence, X-ray powder diffraction and photoemission experiments have been performed. Suppression of superconductivity in the Sn-doped Bi₂Sr₂CaCu₂O₈₊ system has been observed. X-ray photoemission measurements show that Sn ion enters the lattice. Our results reveal that Sn ions are mostly in bivalent states.     

Improvement of the Irreversibility Line of the 1212 Compound Tl0.5Pb0.5Sr2CaCu2O7?δ

The superconducting properties and the irreversibility line of the Tl_0.5Pb_0.5Sr₂CaCu₂O_7– were studied by ac susceptibility on both ceramic and powder samples prepared in sealed quartz tube at 960°C. In parallel, carefull investigations by DTA/Tg, X rays diffraction and plasma emission spectroscopy were performed on each sample after each thermal treatment. It is shown that the superconducting properties are strongly dependent on further heat treatments and that the irreversibility line may be optimized. Nevertheless, the results obtained suggest that further improvement of the irreversibility line might be expected.     

X-ray diffraction study of multicomponent oxides in the Zn2 ? x(TiaZrb)1 ? xFe2xO4 system

The multicomponent refractory oxide system Zn_{2 − x} (Ti _a Zr _b )_{1 − x} Fe_2x O₄ (a + b = 1; a: b = 1: 5, 1: 4, 1: 3, 1: 2, 1: 1, 2: 1, 3: 1, 4: 1; x = 0–1.0; Δx = 0.05) has been studied by X-ray diffraction, using samples prepared by melting appropriate metal oxide mixtures in a low-temperature hydrogen-oxygen plasma. Two phases, both with wide homogeneity ranges, have been identified: α-phase, with a cubic inverse spinel structure, and β-phase, with a tetragonal inverse spinel structure. The phase boundaries in the system have been determined. Structural data are presented for about 100 solid solutions.     

AC Response of Cu0.5Tl0.5Ba2Ca2Cu3?xSnxO10?δ Superconductor

We have studied the ac response of Sn doped Cu_0.5Tl_0.5Ba₂Ca₂Cu_3−x Sn _x O_10−δ superconductor samples from their ac-susceptibility measurements under different magnitudes of ac magnetic fields; H _ac=0.4, 4, 16 A/m. The samples with x=0.5 and 1.0 have shown strong flux pinning and intergrain coupling. However, the sample with Sn doping of x=1.5 has shown very poor flux pinning characteristics.