Magnetic field hysteresis of critical currents in Bi(2223)/Ag tapes and a way to overcome it

Experiments showing hysteresis of critical currents versus the external magnetic field I_c(B_e) were performed with two multifilamentary Bi(2223)/Ag tapes. The I_c(B_e) hysteresis is observable in the transversal as well as in the longitudinal orientation of the long axis of the tape with respect to the magnetic field. Based on the idea that the hysteresis is the effect of trapped flux in a network of well-connected current paths, a way to overcome this effect has been proposed and experimentally verified. The induced frozen-in screening currents are split into several parallel current patterns by cycling the external magnetic field around the adjusted value. Using the proposed method, the ‘neutral’ I_c(B_e) characteristics have been found. Approximate calculations of the penetration depth of the trapped flux show that the network of well-connected current paths could be formed by several disk-shaped grains (≈ Φ8 × 0.4 μ) stacked into more or less axially ordered (quasi cylindrical) colonies of average dimensions estimated to ≈ Φ8 × 4 μm.