High quality La/sub 1.8/Sr/sub 0.2/CuO/sub 4/ and YBa/sub2/Cu/sub 3/O/sub 7/ superconducting thin films, with zero resistance at 88 K, have been made by dual-ion-beam sputtering of metal and oxide targets at elevated temperatures. The films are about 1.0 ..mu..m thick and are single phase after annealing. The substrates investigated are Nd-YAP, MgO, SrF/sub 2/, Si, CaF/sub 2/, ZrO/sub 2/-9% Y/sub 2/O/sub 3/, BaF/sub 2/, Al/sub 2/O/sub 3/, and SrTiO/sub 3/. Characterization of the films was carried out using Rutherford backscattering spectroscopy, resistivity measurements, transmission electron microscopy, x-ray diffraction, and secondary ion mass spectroscopy. Substrate/film interaction was observed in every case. This generally involves diffusion of the substrate into the film, which is accompanied by, for example, the replacement of Ba by Sr in the YBa/sub ...
The magnetic properties of the superconductive materials HoBa/sub 2/Cu/sub 3/O/sub z/ and YBa/sub2/Cu/sub 3/O/sub z/ have been measured and compared. Both had superconductive transition temperatures T/sub c/ in low magnetic fields near 90 K and exhibited nearly complete magnetic-flux exclusion. The susceptibility of the Ho-based materials followed a Curie-Weiss law both above and below T/sub c/. These results give clear experimental evidence for a nearly complete decoupling of the magnetic and superconductive layers, demonstrating that the superconductivity is highly anisotropic.
Sensitive and quick-response nonlinear inductance characteristics are found for high Tc superconducting (YBa/sub2/Cu/sub 3/O/sub 7-chi/) disk cores at 77K in which soft magnetic BH hysteresis loops are observed. Various quick response magnetic devices such as modulators, amplifiers and sensors are built using these cores. The magnetizing frequency can be set to more than 20 MHz, which is difficult for conventional ferromagnetic bulk materials such as Permalloy amorphous alloys and ferrite. New quick-response fluxgate type magnetic-field sensors are made using ac and dc voltage sources. The former is used for second-harmonic type sensors, while the latter is for voltage-output multivibrator type sensors. Stable and quick-response sensor characteristics were obtained for two-core type multivibrators.
The formation of textured YBa{sub2}Cu{sub 3}O{sub 7-{delta}} (123) from a liquid phase according to the peritectic reaction Y{sub 2}BaCuO{sub 5} (211) + liquid {yields} 123 was analyzed using real-time analysis techniques of high-temperature X-ray diffraction, high-temperature optical microscopy, and environmental scanning electron microscopy (ESEM). Results were coupled with conventional ''post-mortem'' SEM analysis of processed samples at various stages of microstructural development. Observations of 123 formation and growth from the peritectic melt permit the conclusion that the presence of crystalline 211 primarily acts as a source of yttrium. The slow dissolution of 211 into the yttrium deficient liquid phase is the rate controlled step in the formation and growth of the textured 123, rather that its acting as a nucleation site for 123 grains as has been widely assumed. (orig.).
Recently we have found a highly effective additive for the melt growth processings attaining high critical currents in YBCO superconductor. It is platinum and it behaves as an effective grain growth inhibitor for the Y{sub 2}BaCuO{sub 5} phase. Even with less than 1 wt.% doping, Y{sub 2}BaCuO{sub 5} particles becomes less than one micron in size and distribute themselves to become homogeneously embedded in the large grown YBa{sub2}Cu{sub 3}O{sub y} grains. The sample shows large magnetic hysteresis and a typical J{sub c} value estimated by using Bean's model critical state model is 18000 A/cm{sup 2} at 77 K and 1 T. We found that rhodium has a similar remarkable effect. (orig.).
Cold deformation of YBa{sub2}Cu{sub 3}O{sub 7-x}(phase 123, T{sub c} = 88.5-92 K) powders and strips causes partial decomposition of the 123 phase, a reduction in the degree of orthorhombicity of the structure up to almost complete degradation, and a decrease in T{sub c}. When they are deformed, yttrium high temperature superconductors acquire basal (001) (110) texture with high pole density (13-15 arbitrary units), low scattering angle ({+-} 6deg--7deg from the normal direction), and a weak preference for a, b or a + b in the rolling direction; traces of (139) orientations may also be found. This texture is known to be favourable for increasing j{sub k}. The combined effect of cold deformation and a carbon-containing binder leads, however, to a complete loss of superconductivity at 77 K or above. Depending on the regime of subsequent annealing, the following effects may be observed: degradation of the orthorhombic ...
YBa{sub2}Cu{sub 3}O{sub x} superconducting ceramics containing various oxides were prepared, and their superconducting properties and degradation in moisture were discussed. The addition of Ag{sub 2}O greatly contributed to improve their properties, for example, in the specimen containing Ag{sub 2}O of 1-5wt%, a relative density was enhanced up to 95% of a theoretical density, and a critical current density was 2-3 times as large as that of non-added one. As the results of accelerated aging tests at 85{degree}C in the air of 100% relative humidity, in non-added specimens, the resistivity vs. temperature characteristics were strongly affected by moisture only for 30min, however, in Ag-added ones, no effects were detected even after 5h. A superconducting wire was made of an Ag pipe and superconducting powder containing Ag{sub 2}O of 5wt% by drawing and heating at 850{degree}C in air for 20h, and its critical current density ...
Microfabrication processes for Y-Ba-Cu-O films have been investigated, using ion-beam techniques. High-{Tc} superconducting lines as narrow as 0.8 {mu}m have been fabricated from epitaxial YBa{sub2}Cu{sub 3}O{sub 7 {minus} {ital y}} films by Ar ion-beam etching (IBE), combined with focused ion-beam (FIB) lithography. The resulting lines, 1.3 {mu}m wide and 2 mm long, showed a zero resistance temperature of 81 K and a critical current density of 1.9 {times} 10{sup 4} A/cm{sup 2} at 77.3 K. Maskless etching was carried out using 130-keV au{sup +} focused ion-beam (FIB) with a 0.1-{mu}m-diameter beam. A 50-nm-thick film was patterned into 0.3-{mu}m-wide lines at a dose of 5 {times} {sup 16} ions/cm{sup 2}. In comparison with Ar IBE, Cl{sub 2} reactive ion-beam etching (RIBE) exhibited an enhancement effect in sputtering yield. Ion implantation with 300-keV Si{sup + +} FIB also indicated the possibility to produce ...
Low-temperature specific-heat measurements have been carried out between 0.5 and 30--50 K on the high-T/sub c/ copper oxide superconductors La/sub 1.8/Sr/sub 0.2/CuO/sub 4-//sub delta/ and RBa/sub 2/Cu/sub 3/O/sub 7-//sub delta/ (R = Y, Eu, Ho, Tm, and Yb). The specific heat of the La/sub 1.8/Sr/sub 0.2/CuO/sub 4-//sub delta/ and YBa/sub2/Cu/sub 3/O/sub 7-//sub delta/ compounds below T/sub c/ can be resolved into a contribution of the form C/sub e/(T) = ..gamma..'T with a finite ..gamma..' and a lattice contribution that consists of Debye and Einstein terms. Specific-heat data for the RBa/sub 3/Cu/sub 3/O/sub 7-//sub delta/ compounds with R = Ho, Tm, and Yb exhibit no features due to magnetic order above 0.5 K, but reveal electronic Schottky anomalies associated with crystalline electric field (CEF) splitting of the Hund's-rules ground-state multiplet of ...