Advanced nuclear materials development -Development of superconductor application technology-

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Hong, Kye Won; Lee, Heui Kyoon; Lee, Hoh Jin; Kim, Chan Joong; Jang, Kun Ik; Kim, Kee Baek; Kwon, Sun Chil; Park, Hae Woong; Yoo, Jae Keun; Kim, Jong Jin; Jang, Joong Chul; Yang, Suk Woo

1995-07-01

Fabrication of high Tc bulk superconductor and its application, fabrication of superconducting wire for electric power device and analysis for cryogenic system were carried out for developing superconductor application technologies for electric power system. High quality YBaCuO bulk superconductor was fabricated by controlling initial powder preparation process and prototype fly wheel energy storage device was designed basically. The superconducting levitation force measuring device was made to examine the property of prepared superconductor specimen. Systematic studies on the method of starting powder preparation, mechanical fabrication process, heat treatment condition and analysis of plastic deformation were carried out to increase the stability and reproducibility of superconducting wire. A starting powder with good reactivity and fine particle size was obtained by emulsion drying method. Ag/BSCCO tape with good cross sectional shape and Tc of 16,000 A/cm 2 was fabricated by applying CIP packing procedure. Multifilamentary wire with the Jc of approx. 10000 A/cm 2 was fabricated by rolling method using square billet as starting shape. The joining of the multifilament wire was done by etching and pressing process and showed 50% of joining efficiency. Analysis on the heat loss in cryostat for high Tc superconducting device was carried out for optimum design of the future cryogenic system. 126 figs, 14 tabs, 214 refs. (Author)

Advanced nuclear materials development -Development of superconductor application technology-

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Hong, Kye Won; Lee, Heui Kyoon; Lee, Hoh Jin; Kim, Chan Joong; Jang, Kun Ik; Kim, Kee Baek; Kwon, Sun Chil; Park, Hae Woong; Yoo, Jae Keun; Kim, Jong Jin; Jang, Joong Chul; Yang, Suk Woo [Korea Atomic Energy Research Institute, Taejon (Korea, Republic of)

1995-07-01

Fabrication of high Tc bulk superconductor and its application, fabrication of superconducting wire for electric power device and analysis for cryogenic system were carried out for developing superconductor application technologies for electric power system. High quality YBaCuO bulk superconductor was fabricated by controlling initial powder preparation process and prototype fly wheel energy storage device was designed basically. The superconducting levitation force measuring device was made to examine the property of prepared superconductor specimen. Systematic studies on the method of starting powder preparation, mechanical fabrication process, heat treatment condition and analysis of plastic deformation were carried out to increase the stability and reproducibility of superconducting wire. A starting powder with good reactivity and fine particle size was obtained by emulsion drying method. Ag/BSCCO tape with good cross sectional shape and Tc of 16,000 A/cm{sup 2} was fabricated by applying CIP packing procedure. Multifilamentary wire with the Jc of approx. 10000 A/cm{sup 2} was fabricated by rolling method using square billet as starting shape. The joining of the multifilament wire was done by etching and pressing process and showed 50% of joining efficiency. Analysis on the heat loss in cryostat for high Tc superconducting device was carried out for optimum design of the future cryogenic system. 126 figs, 14 tabs, 214 refs. (Author).

Potential aerospace applications of high temperature superconductors

Science.gov (United States)

Selim, Raouf

1994-01-01

The recent discovery of High Temperature Superconductors (HTS) with superconducting transition temperature, T(sub c), above the boiling point of liquid nitrogen has opened the door for using these materials in new and practical applications. These materials have zero resistance to electric current, have the capability of carrying large currents and as such have the potential to be used in high magnetic field applications. One of the space applications that can use superconductors is electromagnetic launch of payloads to low-earth-orbit. An electromagnetic gun-type launcher can be used in small payload systems that are launched at very high velocity, while sled-type magnetically levitated launcher can be used to launch larger payloads at smaller velocities. Both types of launchers are being studied by NASA and the aerospace industry. The use of superconductors will be essential in any of these types of launchers in order to produce the large magnetic fields required to obtain large thrust forces. Low Temperature Superconductor (LTS) technology is mature enough and can be easily integrated in such systems. As for the HTS, many leading companies are currently producing HTS coils and magnets that potentially can be mass-produced for these launchers. It seems that designing and building a small-scale electromagnetic launcher is the next logical step toward seriously considering this method for launching payloads into low-earth-orbit. A second potential application is the use of HTS to build sensitive portable devices for the use in Non Destructive Evaluation (NDE). Superconducting Quantum Interference Devices (SQUID's) are the most sensitive instruments for measuring changes in magnetic flux. By using HTS in SQUID's, one will be able to design a portable unit that uses liquid nitrogen or a cryocooler pump to explore the use of gradiometers or magnetometers to detect deep cracks or corrosion in structures. A third use is the replacement of Infra-Red (IR) sensor leads on

Superconductors

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

1988-01-01

The chapter 6.3 p. 143 to 153 of this book deals with superconductors 19 items are briefly presented with address of manufacturer or laboratory to contact, mainly in the USA or Japan. In particular magnets, films, high temperature superconductors and various applications are presented [fr

Chapter 27. Superconductors

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Vavra, O.

2007-01-01

In this chapter author deals with superconductors and superconductivity. Different chemical materials used as high-temperature superconductors are presented. Some applications of superconductivity are presented.

The new superconductors: Prospects for applications

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Wolsky, A.M.; Giese, R.F.; Daniels, E.J.

1989-01-01

Two years ago several groups around the world, excited by the discovery by K. Alex Mueller and J. Georg Bednorz of the IBM Zurich Research Laboratory of a superconducting ceramic oxide, developed an yttrium-barium-copper oxide that superconducted at 90 K. Since then other investigators have found two separate families of copper oxides, one incorporating bismuth and the other thallium, that superconduct at between 110 and 120 K. These high-temperature superconductors could be cooled to 77 degrees K with liquid nitrogen, which is cheap and abundant. This immediately suggested that certain applications of superconductivity long considered not to be economic or practical might be feasible. Yet many of the envisioned applications-generators and motors, energy storage, magnetically levitating trains-raise the same issues to which Onnes referred. It is not yet known whether the new materials can be made easily workable-strong and flexible enough to fashion into wire and other useful forms. Nor is it known whether they can be made to carry large currents and operate in intense magnetic fields. Whether the new discoveries will prove fruitful will depend on the progress made toward achieving design requirements for known applications and on identifying new applications as yet unforeseen. Indeed, such new applications may well have the greater impact. No one foresaw today's most important commercial use of superconductivity, magnetic-resonance imaging for medical diagnosis, in the 1960's, when niobium-3-tin and niobium-titanium were found to remain superconducting while carrying high currents in the presence of sizable magnetic fields. Leaving aside the unforeseen, an informed view of the economic and technical advantages of the new superconductors can help guide attempts to achieve the applications now being envisioned

Superconductors-A Review of Their Properties and Applications ...

African Journals Online (AJOL)

Superconductors are a special class of materials which exhibit a number of remarkable properties distinct from normal materials. These materials have found varied industrial and technological applications since the phenomenon of superconductivity was first discovered in 1911. A great deal of efforts are being made world ...

Electromechanical properties of superconductors for DOE fusion applications

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Ekin, J.W.; Bray, S.L.; Lutgen, C.L.; Bahn, W.L.

1994-01-01

The electrical performance of many superconducting materials is strongly dependent on mechanical load. This report presents electromechanical data on a broad range of high-magnetic-field superconductors. The conductors that were studied fall into three general categories: Candidate conductors, experimental conductors, and reference conductors. Research on candidate conductors for fusion applications provides screening data for superconductor selection as well as engineering data for magnet design and performance analysis. The effect of axial tensile strain on critical-current density was measured for several Nb 3 Sn candidate conductors including the US-DPC (United States Demonstration Poloidal Coil) cable strand and an ITER (International Thermonuclear Experimental Reactor) candidate conductor. Also, data are presented on promising experimental superconductors that have strong potential for fusion applications. Axial strain measurements were made on a V 3 Ga tape conductor that has good performance at magnetic fields up to 20 T. Axial strain data are also presented for three experimental Nb 3 Sn conductors that contain dispersion hardened copper reinforcement for increased tensile strength. Finally, electromechanical characteristics were measured for three different Nb 3 Sn reference conductors from the first and second VAMAS (Versailles Project on Advanced Materials and Standards) international Nb 3 Sn critical-current round robins. Published papers containing key results, including the first measurement of the transverse stress effect in Nb 3 Sn, the effect of stress concentration at cable-strand crossovers, and electromechanical characteristics of Nb 3 Al, are included throughout the report

New application of superconductors: High sensitivity cryogenic light detectors

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Cardani, L., E-mail: laura.cardani@roma1.infn.it [Dipartimento di Fisica, Sapienza Università di Roma, Piazzale Aldo Moro 2, 00185 Roma (Italy); Physics Department, Princeton University, Washington Road, 08544 Princeton, NJ (United States); Bellini, F.; Casali, N. [Dipartimento di Fisica, Sapienza Università di Roma, Piazzale Aldo Moro 2, 00185 Roma (Italy); INFN – Sezione di Roma, Piazzale Aldo Moro 2, 00185 Roma, Italy (Italy); Castellano, M.G. [Istituto di Fotonica e Nanotecnologie – CNR, Via Cineto Romano 42, 00156 Roma (Italy); Colantoni, I.; Coppolecchia, A. [Dipartimento di Fisica, Sapienza Università di Roma, Piazzale Aldo Moro 2, 00185 Roma (Italy); Cosmelli, C.; Cruciani, A. [Dipartimento di Fisica, Sapienza Università di Roma, Piazzale Aldo Moro 2, 00185 Roma (Italy); INFN – Sezione di Roma, Piazzale Aldo Moro 2, 00185 Roma, Italy (Italy); D' Addabbo, A. [INFN – Laboratori Nazionali del Gran Sasso, Assergi (L' Aquila) 67010 (Italy); Di Domizio, S. [INFN – Sezione di Genova, Via Dodecaneso 33, 16146 Genova (Italy); Dipartimento di Fisica, Università degli Studi di Genova, Via Dodecaneso 33, 16146 Genova (Italy); Martinez, M. [Dipartimento di Fisica, Sapienza Università di Roma, Piazzale Aldo Moro 2, 00185 Roma (Italy); INFN – Sezione di Roma, Piazzale Aldo Moro 2, 00185 Roma, Italy (Italy); Laboratorio de Fisica Nuclear y Astroparticulas, Universidad de Zaragoza, Zaragoza 50009 (Spain); Tomei, C. [INFN – Sezione di Roma, Piazzale Aldo Moro 2, 00185 Roma, Italy (Italy); and others

2017-02-11

In this paper we describe the current status of the CALDER project, which is developing ultra-sensitive light detectors based on superconductors for cryogenic applications. When we apply an AC current to a superconductor, the Cooper pairs oscillate and acquire kinetic inductance, that can be measured by inserting the superconductor in a LC circuit with high merit factor. Interactions in the superconductor can break the Cooper pairs, causing sizable variations in the kinetic inductance and, thus, in the response of the LC circuit. The continuous monitoring of the amplitude and frequency modulation allows to reconstruct the incident energy with excellent sensitivity. This concept is at the basis of Kinetic Inductance Detectors (KIDs) that are characterized by natural aptitude to multiplexed read-out (several sensors can be tuned to different resonant frequencies and coupled to the same line), resolution of few eV, stable behavior over a wide temperature range, and ease in fabrication. We present the results obtained by the CALDER collaboration with 2×2 cm{sup 2} substrates sampled by 1 or 4 Aluminum KIDs. We show that the performances of the first prototypes are already competitive with those of other commonly used light detectors, and we discuss the strategies for a further improvement.

New application of superconductors: High sensitivity cryogenic light detectors

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Cardani, L.; Bellini, F.; Casali, N.; Castellano, M.G.; Colantoni, I.; Coppolecchia, A.; Cosmelli, C.; Cruciani, A.; D'Addabbo, A.; Di Domizio, S.; Martinez, M.; Tomei, C.

2017-01-01

In this paper we describe the current status of the CALDER project, which is developing ultra-sensitive light detectors based on superconductors for cryogenic applications. When we apply an AC current to a superconductor, the Cooper pairs oscillate and acquire kinetic inductance, that can be measured by inserting the superconductor in a LC circuit with high merit factor. Interactions in the superconductor can break the Cooper pairs, causing sizable variations in the kinetic inductance and, thus, in the response of the LC circuit. The continuous monitoring of the amplitude and frequency modulation allows to reconstruct the incident energy with excellent sensitivity. This concept is at the basis of Kinetic Inductance Detectors (KIDs) that are characterized by natural aptitude to multiplexed read-out (several sensors can be tuned to different resonant frequencies and coupled to the same line), resolution of few eV, stable behavior over a wide temperature range, and ease in fabrication. We present the results obtained by the CALDER collaboration with 2×2 cm"2 substrates sampled by 1 or 4 Aluminum KIDs. We show that the performances of the first prototypes are already competitive with those of other commonly used light detectors, and we discuss the strategies for a further improvement.

Superconductors

CERN Document Server

Narlikar, A V

2014-01-01

Superconductors is neither about basic aspects of superconductivity nor about its applications, but its mainstay is superconducting materials. Unusual and unconventional features of a large variety of novel superconductors are presented and their technological potential as practical superconductors assessed. The book begins with an introduction to basic aspects of superconductivity. The presentation is readily accessible to readers from a diverse range of scientific and technical disciplines, such as metallurgy, materials science, materials engineering, electronic and device engineering, and chemistry. The derivation of mathematical formulas and equations has been kept to a minimum and, wherever necessary, short appendices with essential mathematics have been added at the end of the text. The book is not meant to serve as an encyclopaedia, describing each and every superconductor that exists, but focuses on important milestones in their exciting development.

Slim-look superconductors lead the applications race

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Hellemans, A.

1996-01-01

When George Bednorz and Alex Mueller discovered high-temperature superconductivity (HTS) 10 years ago at IBM research labs near Zurich, newspapers, magazines, and TV news reports across the world were soon filled with forecasts of super-efficient power lines, trains floating along at unimaginable speeds levitated by superconducting magnets, and swift, silent ships powered by magnetohydro-dynamic drives. Chunks of these new ceramic materials, which can conduct electricity free form all resistance at temperatures high enough to require only cheap liquid nitrogen as a coolant rather than expensive liquid helium, would pave the way to the technological future. However, researchers are now thinking of thin films rather than chunks of HTS material. Superconductors do not always require long wires and coils or high currents. Electronic devices make from HTS ceramics have some remarkable properties, and all you need is a thin layer of film of the ceramic grown on a rigid substrate. This article discusses the possibilities of applications using new thin film superconductors

Hydrostatic high pressures for material deformations. Application to Chevrel phase superconductors

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Massat, H.

1984-01-01

The effect of hydrostatic high pressures on the ductility of materials is reviewed and applications are made to powder metallurgy under isostatic pressure and hydrostatic extrusion of superconductors [fr

Assessment of potential advantages of high Tc-superconductors for technical application of superconductivity

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Schauer, F.; Juengst, K.P.; Komarek, P.; Maurer, W.

1987-09-01

A first assessment of the technical and economical consequences of liquid nitrogen cooling of new superconductors is given. For the investigation the applications of superconductivity are classified in two categories: First, systems where superconductors are practically indispensable for achieving the system's objectives; second, superconductor applications in competition with highly developed conventional technologies. Further development of those superconducting systems in the first category for which the cost of cryogenic equipment is a smaller fraction of the total system cost (e.g. fusion reactor or MHD generator) will hardly be affected. However, for systems like particle accelerators, research magnets, and NMR spectroscopy and imaging systems, the cryogenic equipment expenditures are significant and LN 2 cooling leads here to a reduction of investment and operating costs, to simplified handling and maintenance, to better reliability and availability, and will thereby improve the acceptance and further spread of these systems. In the second category each application of superconductivity has to be compared with its conventional counterpart, separately. Here, electonic components, power switches, resistive current limiters, and especially the power transmission cables are those applications which look most promising. For magnet applications the main advantageous arguments are less the cost saving aspect but more the higher reliability, simplicity, N 2 -availability, and ease of handling. (orig.) [de

Bulk Superconductors in Mobile Application

Science.gov (United States)

Werfel, F. N.; Delor, U. Floegel-; Rothfeld, R.; Riedel, T.; Wippich, D.; Goebel, B.; Schirrmeister, P.

We investigate and review concepts of multi - seeded REBCO bulk superconductors in mobile application. ATZ's compact HTS bulk magnets can trap routinely 1 T@77 K. Except of magnetization, flux creep and hysteresis, industrial - like properties as compactness, power density, and robustness are of major device interest if mobility and light-weight construction is in focus. For mobile application in levitated trains or demonstrator magnets we examine the performance of on-board cryogenics either by LN2 or cryo-cooler application. The mechanical, electric and thermodynamical requirements of compact vacuum cryostats for Maglev train operation were studied systematically. More than 30 units are manufactured and tested. The attractive load to weight ratio is more than 10 and favours group module device constructions up to 5 t load on permanent magnet (PM) track. A transportable and compact YBCO bulk magnet cooled with in-situ 4 Watt Stirling cryo-cooler for 50 - 80 K operation is investigated. Low cooling power and effective HTS cold mass drives the system construction to a minimum - thermal loss and light-weight design.

Development of superconductor bulk for superconductor bearing

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Kim, Chan Joong; Jun, Byung Hyuk; Park, Soon Dong (and others)

2008-08-15

Current carrying capacity is one of the most important issues in the consideration of superconductor bulk materials for engineering applications. There are numerous applications of Y-Ba-Cu-O (YBCO) bulk superconductors e.g. magnetic levitation train, flywheel energy storage system, levitation transportation, lunar telescope, centrifugal device, magnetic shielding materials, bulk magnets etc. Accordingly, to obtain YBCO materials in the form of large, single crystals without weak-link problem is necessary. A top seeded melt growth (TSMG) process was used to fabricate single crystal YBCO bulk superconductors. The seeded and infiltration growth (IG) technique was also very promising method for the synthesis of large, single-grain YBCO bulk superconductors with good superconducting properties. 5 wt.% Ag doped Y211 green compacts were sintered at 900 .deg. C {approx} 1200 .deg.C and then a single crystal YBCO was fabricated by an infiltration method. A refinement and uniform distribution of the Y211 particles in the Y123 matrix were achieved by sintering the Ag-doped samples. This enhancement of the critical current density was ascribable to a fine dispersion of the Y211 particles, a low porosity and the presence of Ag particles. In addition, we have designed and manufactured large YBCO single domain with levitation force of 10-13 kg/cm{sup 2} using TSMG processing technique.

High temperature superconductor bulk materials. Fundamentals - processing - properties control - application aspects

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Krabbes, G.; Fuchs, G.; Canders, W.R.; May, H.; Palka, R.

2006-01-01

This book presents all the features of bulk high temperature superconducting materials. Starting from physical and chemical fundamentals, the authors move on to portray methods and problems of materials processing, thoroughly working out the characteristic properties of bulk superconductors in contrast to long conductors and films. The authors provide a wide range of specific materials characteristics with respect to the latest developments and future applications guiding from fundamentals to practical engineering examples. This book contains the following chapters: 1. Fundamentals 2. Growth and melt processing of YBCO 3. Pinning-relevant defects in bulk YBCO 4. Properties of bulk YBCO 5. Trapped fields 6. Improved YBCO based bulk superconductors and functional elements 7. Alternative systems 8. Peak effect 9. Very high trapped fields in YBCO permanent magnets 10. Engineering aspects: Field distribution in bulk HTSC 11. Inherently stable superconducting magnetic bearings 12. Application of bulk HTSCs in electromagnetic energy converters 13. Applications in magnet technologies and power supplies

High temperature superconductivity: Concept, preparation and testing of high Tc superconductor compounds, and applications

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Harara, Wafik

1992-06-01

Many studies have been carried out on high temperature superconductors with transition temperature above that of the liquid nitrogen. In this scientific study the concept and the mechanism of this phenomena are discussed, in addition the examples of preparation and testing of high temperature superconductors compounds are shown. Also the most important applications in industry are explained. (author). 15 refs., 2 tabs., 18 figs

Recent advances in high-temperature superconductor wire fabrication and applications development

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Hull, J.R.; Uherka, K.L.

1992-01-01

In this paper, recent advances in fabrication of high-temperature superconductor wires are summarized and detailed discussion is provided on developments in near- and intermediate-term applications. Near-term applications, using presently obtainable current densities, include liquid-nitrogen depth sensors, cryostat current leads, and magnetic bearings. Intermediate-term applications, using current densities expected to be available in the near future, include fault-current limiters and short transmission lines

Cryocooler applications for high-temperature superconductor magnetic bearings

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Niemann, R. C.

1998-01-01

The efficiency and stability of rotational magnetic suspension systems are enhanced by the use of high-temperature superconductor (HTS) magnetic bearings. Fundamental aspects of the HTS magnetic bearings and rotational magnetic suspension are presented. HTS cooling can be by liquid cryogen bath immersion or by direct conduction, and thus there are various applications and integration issues for cryocoolers. Among the numerous cryocooler aspects to be considered are installation; operating temperature; losses; and vacuum pumping

Melt processed high-temperature superconductors

CERN Document Server

1993-01-01

The achievement of large critical currents is critical to the applications of high-temperature superconductors. Recent developments have shown that melt processing is suitable for producing high J c oxide superconductors. Using magnetic forces between such high J c oxide superconductors and magnets, a person could be levitated.This book has grown largely out of research works on melt processing of high-temperature superconductors conducted at ISTEC Superconductivity Research Laboratory. The chapters build on melt processing, microstructural characterization, fundamentals of flux pinning, criti

Optimization of superconductor--normal-metal--superconductor Josephson junctions for high critical-current density

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Golub, A.; Horovitz, B.

1994-01-01

The application of superconducting Bi 2 Sr 2 CaCu 2 O 8 and YBa 2 Cu 3 O 7 wires or tapes to electronic devices requires the optimization of the transport properties in Ohmic contacts between the superconductor and the normal metal in the circuit. This paper presents results of tunneling theory in superconductor--normal-metal--superconductor (SNS) junctions, in both pure and dirty limits. We derive expressions for the critical-current density as a function of the normal-metal resistivity in the dirty limit or of the ratio of Fermi velocities and effective masses in the clean limit. In the latter case the critical current increases when the ratio γ of the Fermi velocity in the superconductor to that of the weak link becomes much less than 1 and it also has a local maximum if γ is close to 1. This local maximum is more pronounced if the ratio of effective masses is large. For temperatures well below the critical temperature of the superconductors the model with abrupt pair potential on the SN interfaces is considered and its applicability near the critical temperature is examined

Practical superconductor development for electrical power applications

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Goretta, K.C.

1991-10-01

Development of useful high-critical-temperature (high-T c ) superconductors requires synthesis of superconducting compounds; fabrication of wires, tapes, and films from these compounds; production of composite structures that incorporate stabilizers or insulators; and design and testing of efficient components. This report describes technical progress of research and development efforts aimed at producing superconducting components based on the Y-Ba-Cu, Bi-Sr-Ca-Cu, Bi-Pb-Sr-Ca-Cu, and Tl-Ba-Ca-Cu oxides systems. Topics discussed are synthesis and heat treatment of high-T c superconductors, formation of monolithic and composite wires and tapes, superconductor/metal connectors, characterization of structures and superconducting and mechanical properties, and fabrication and properties of thin films. Collaborations with industry and academia are also documented. 10 figs

Melt-processed LRE-Ba-Cu-O superconductors and prospects for their applications

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Yoo, S.I.; Fujimoto, H.; Sakai, N.; Murakami, M.

1997-01-01

We have recently found that control of the oxygen partial pressure (PO 2 ) during melt processing, named the oxygen-controlled melt-growth (OCMG) process, is critical for obtaining a high superconducting transition temperature (T c ) in the light rare earth (LRE)-Ba-Cu-O (LREBCO) superconductors particularly for Nd, Sm and Eu. Further, compared to a good melt-processed Y-Ba-Cu-O (YBCO) bulk superconductor, LREBCO bulks exhibit larger critical current density (J c ) in high magnetic field and a much improved irreversibility field (H irr ) at 77 K, implying that more effective flux pinning can be realized in a commercially feasible way. In this paper, properties and characteristic flux pinning of OCMG-processed LREBCO (LRE: Nd,Sm,Eu) superconductors are described on the basis of our study during the last several years. We also present the prospects for bulk-type applications, such as the magnetic bearings, flywheels and magnetically levitated (MAGLEV) trains. (orig.)

Application of high temperature superconductors for optimization of regime of the electroenergetic system

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Manusov, V.Z.; Mikheev, P.A.

2005-01-01

Application of the phenomenon of superconductivity in the energetic systems, as in the form of longitudinal engine, also in the transverse appearance (changing of the regime of neutral) is considerate in this article. In the normal regimes of the work of net it is profitable to have less resistance for contraction loss of the capability in the network and decrease of the tension, in emergency state ground return, on the contrary, from the security and safety point of view the work of such resistance will not arrange. Major properties of superconductors are their ability to change electrical parameters (in particular electric resistance) in dependence of the size of current crossing over them, notably nonlinearity of their volt-ampere characteristics. A high temperature superconductor, on the score of economical appropriateness of cooling of superconductor with liquid nitrogen instead of liquid gel is considered

Unconventional superconductors. Anisotropy and multiband effects

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Askerzade, Iman [Ankara Univ. (Turkey). Center of Excellence of Superconductivity Research of Turkey; Azerbaijan National Academy of Sciences (Azerbaijan). Inst. of Physics

2012-07-01

This book deals with the new class of materials unconventional superconductors, cuprate compounds, borocarbides, magnesium-diboride and oxypnictides. It gives a systematical review of physical properties of novel superconductors. There is an increasing number of fundamental properties of these compounds which are relevant to future applications, opening new possibilities. The theoretical explanation is presented as generalization of Ginzburg-Landau phenomenology and microscopical Eliashberg theory for multiband and anisotropic superconductors. Various applications of this approaches and time dependent version of two-band Ginzburg-Landau theory are considered. An important topic are fluctuations in two-band and anisotropic superconductors. Significant new results on current problems are presented to stimulate further research. Numerous illustrations, diagrams and tables make this book useful as a reference for students and researchers. (orig.)

Unconventional superconductors anisotropy and multiband effects

CERN Document Server

Askerzade, Iman

2012-01-01

This book deals with the new class of materials unconventional superconductors, cuprate compounds, borocarbides, magnesium-diboride and oxypnictides. It gives a systematical review of physical properties of novel  superconductors. There is an increasing number of fundamental properties of these compounds which are relevant to future applications, opening new possibilities. The theoretical explanation is presented as generalization of Ginzburg-Landau phenomenology and microscopical Eliashberg theory for multiband and anisotropic superconductors. Various applications of this approachs and time dependent version of two-band Ginzburg-Landau theory are considered. An important topic are fluctuations in two-band and anisotropic superconductors. Significant  new results on current problems are presented to stimulate further research. Numerous illustrations, diagrams and tables make this book useful as a reference for students and researchers.

Progress of metallic superconductors in Japan

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Tachikawa, Kyoji, E-mail: tacsuper@keyaki.cc.u-tokai.ac.jp [Faculty of Engineering, Tokai University, 4-1-1, Kitakaname, Hiratsuka, Kanagawa 259-1292 (Japan)

2013-01-15

Highlights: ► Japanese contributions on the R and D of different metallic superconductors are summarized. ► Nb–Ti wires have been developed for MRI, accelerator, MAGLEV train and other applications. ► Multifilamentary Nb{sub 3}Sn wires with excellent performance have been developed for high-field use. ► Long-length Nb{sub 3}Al wires with promising strain tolerance have been fabricated by a new process. -- Abstract: This article overviews the development of metallic superconductors in Japan covering different kinds of alloys and intermetallic compounds. Metallic superconductors have opened many new application areas in science and technology. Japan has been one of the leading countries in the world, both in the research and development and in large-scale manufacturing of metallic superconductors.

Testability issues in Superconductor Electronics

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Kerkhoff, Hans G.; Arun, Arun J.

2004-01-01

An emerging technology for solutions in high-end applications in computing and telecommunication is superconductor electronics. A system-level study has been carried out to verify the feasibility of DfT in superconductor electronics. In this paper, we present how this can be realized to monitor

Topological surface states in nodal superconductors.

Science.gov (United States)

Schnyder, Andreas P; Brydon, Philip M R

2015-06-24

Topological superconductors have become a subject of intense research due to their potential use for technical applications in device fabrication and quantum information. Besides fully gapped superconductors, unconventional superconductors with point or line nodes in their order parameter can also exhibit nontrivial topological characteristics. This article reviews recent progress in the theoretical understanding of nodal topological superconductors, with a focus on Weyl and noncentrosymmetric superconductors and their protected surface states. Using selected examples, we review the bulk topological properties of these systems, study different types of topological surface states, and examine their unusual properties. Furthermore, we survey some candidate materials for topological superconductivity and discuss different experimental signatures of topological surface states.

Topological surface states in nodal superconductors

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Schnyder, Andreas P; Brydon, Philip M R

2015-01-01

Topological superconductors have become a subject of intense research due to their potential use for technical applications in device fabrication and quantum information. Besides fully gapped superconductors, unconventional superconductors with point or line nodes in their order parameter can also exhibit nontrivial topological characteristics. This article reviews recent progress in the theoretical understanding of nodal topological superconductors, with a focus on Weyl and noncentrosymmetric superconductors and their protected surface states. Using selected examples, we review the bulk topological properties of these systems, study different types of topological surface states, and examine their unusual properties. Furthermore, we survey some candidate materials for topological superconductivity and discuss different experimental signatures of topological surface states. (topical review)

On the application of High-Tc superconductors in power coils and transformers

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Chevtchenko, O.A.

2002-01-01

In this study, the electro-magnetic properties of high-Tc tapes and coils are investigated. The focus is on Bi-2223/Ag tapes with non-twisted superconducting filaments as these are the only high-Tc superconductors at present available in sufficient length for practical applications. The study is

Prospects of High Temperature Superconductors for fusion magnets and power applications

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Fietz, Walter H.; Barth, Christian; Drotziger, Sandra; Goldacker, Wilfried; Heller, Reinhard; Schlachter, Sonja I.; Weiss, Klaus-Peter

2013-01-01

Highlights: • An overview of HTS application in fusion is given. • BSCCO application for current leads is discussed. • Several approaches to come to a high current HTS cable are shown. • Open issues and benefits of REBCO high current HTS cables are discussed. -- Abstract: During the last few years, progress in the field of second-generation High Temperature Superconductors (HTS) was breathtaking. Industry has taken up production of long length coated REBCO conductors with reduced angular dependency on external magnetic field and excellent critical current density jc. Consequently these REBCO tapes are used more and more in power application. For fusion magnets, high current conductors in the kA range are needed to limit the voltage during fast discharge. Several designs for high current cables using High Temperature Superconductors have been proposed. With the REBCO tape performance at hand, the prospects of fusion magnets based on such high current cables are promising. An operation at 4.5 K offers a comfortable temperature margin, more mechanical stability and the possibility to reach even higher fields compared to existing solutions with Nb 3 Sn which could be interesting with respect to DEMO. After a brief overview of HTS use in power application the paper will give an overview of possible use of HTS material for fusion application. Present high current HTS cable designs are reviewed and the potential using such concepts for future fusion magnets is discussed

Superconductors: The long road ahead

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Foner, S.; Orlando, T.P.

1988-01-01

Before the discovery of high-temperature superconductors, progress in superconductivity was measured by quite small increases in critical temperature, often of less than one degree. Today, there is no reason to believe that the dramatic leaps in critical temperature inaugurated by superconducting ceramics are over. Researchers may find new high-temperature superconducting materials with less severe technical limitations than the ceramics we know today. And if the day ever comes when a superconductor can be reliably manufactured to operate effectively at room temperature, then superconductors will be incorporated in a broad range of everyday household devices - motors, appliances, even children's toys - with a large consumer market. High-temperature superconductors may also cause us to extensively revise our traditional theories about how superconductivity works. Should it run out that superconductivity in ceramics involves new physical mechanisms, then these mechanisms could lead to applications never considered before. The recent discoveries have already reinvigorated superconductivity research. What was once largely the domain of a relatively small group of scientists has become a genuinely multidisciplinary realm. Now physicists, materials scientists, chemists, metallurgists, ceramists, and solid-state electronics engineers are all focusing on superconductivity. The cross-fertilization of these disciplines should contribute to further discoveries of importance to the practical application of superconductors

Room temperature superconductors

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Sleight, A.W.

1995-01-01

If the Holy Grail of room temperature superconductivity could be achieved, the impact on could be enormous. However, a useful room temperature superconductor for most applications must possess a T c somewhat above room temperature and must be capable of sustaining superconductivity in the presence of magnetic fields while carrying a significant current load. The authors will return to the subject of just what characteristics one might seek for a compound to be a room temperature superconductor. 30 refs., 3 figs., 1 tab

Applications of high-temperature superconductors in power technology

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Hull, John R

2003-01-01

Since the discovery of the first high-temperature superconductors (HTSs) in the late 1980s, many materials and families of materials have been discovered that exhibit superconductivity at temperatures well above 20 K. Of these, several families of HTSs have been developed for use in electrical power applications. Demonstration of devices such as motors, generators, transmission lines, transformers, fault-current limiters, and flywheels in which HTSs and bulk HTSs have been used has proceeded to ever larger scales. First-generation wire, made from bismuth-based copper oxides, was used in many demonstrations. The rapid development of second-generation wire, made by depositing thin films of yttrium-based copper oxide on metallic substrates, is expected to further accelerate commercial applications. Bulk HTSs, in which large single-grain crystals are used as basic magnetic components, have also been developed and have potential for electrical power applications

High temperature superconductor current leads

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Zeimetz, B.; Liu, H.K.; Dou, S.X.

1996-01-01

Full text: The use of superconductors in high electrical current applications (magnets, transformers, generators etc.) usually requires cooling with liquid Helium, which is very expensive. The superconductor itself produces no heat, and the design of Helium dewars is very advanced. Therefore most of the heat loss, i.e. Helium consumption, comes from the current lead which connects the superconductor with its power source at room temperature. The current lead usually consists of a pair of thick copper wires. The discovery of the High Temperature Superconductors makes it possible to replace a part of the copper with superconducting material. This drastically reduces the heat losses because a) the superconductor generates no resistive heat and b) it is a very poor thermal conductor compared with the copper. In this work silver-sheathed superconducting tapes are used as current lead components. The work comprises both the production of the tapes and the overall design of the leads, in order to a) maximize the current capacity ('critical current') of the superconductor, b) minimize the thermal conductivity of the silver clad, and c) optimize the cooling conditions

Superconductors, analysis and applications, with special reference to the utilisation of bulk (Re)BCO materials

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Coombs, T.A., E-mail: tac1000@cam.ac.u [University of Cambridge, Department of Engineering, Trumpington Street, Cambridge CB2 1PZ (United Kingdom)

2010-11-01

The Electrical Power and Energy Conversion (EPEC) superconductivity group at Cambridge University has been working on the application of superconductivity to large scale devices. This work is taking place over a range of areas which cover FCLs, motors and generators, SMES, accelerator magnets and MRI. The research is underpinned by advanced modelling techniques using both pure Critical State models and E-J models to analyse the behaviour of the superconductors. As part of the device design we are concentrating on the analysis of AC losses in complicated geometries such as are found in motor windings and the magnetisation of bulk superconductors to enable their full potential to be realised. We are interested in the full range of high-temperature superconductors and have measured and predicted the performance of YBCO, MgB{sub 2} and BSCCO at a range of temperatures and in wire, tape and bulk forms. This paper concentrates on recent work which includes: modelling of coils using formulations based on H and A. A critical state model for the analysis of coils in SMES; crossed field effects in bulk superconductors; a magnetic model together with experimental results which explain and describe the method of flux pumping whereby a bulk superconductor can be magnetised to a high flux density using a repeatedly applied field of low flux density and finally a new configuration for MRI magnets

Ceramic high temperature superconductors for high current applications

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Christiansen, J.

1996-12-31

Composite Reaction Texturing (CRT) is a technique which uses a fine distribution of pre-aligned seeds as nucleating sites for texturing oxide superconductors. It has successfully been applied to the texturing of Bi-2212 compounds. A furhter application of CRT is reported in which Y-123 is biaxially textured using seeds of other Rare Earth-123 compounds with higher melting points as nucleating sites. The resultant textured microstructure exhibits mainly low angle grain boundaries (up to 5 deg. misorientation). Results will be presented on the seed alignment techniques, the development of microstructure during reaction of the composite preform and preliminary measurements of electromagnetic properties. (au). 111 refs.

Ceramic high temperature superconductors for high current applications

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Christiansen, J

1997-12-31

Composite Reaction Texturing (CRT) is a technique which uses a fine distribution of pre-aligned seeds as nucleating sites for texturing oxide superconductors. It has successfully been applied to the texturing of Bi-2212 compounds. A furhter application of CRT is reported in which Y-123 is biaxially textured using seeds of other Rare Earth-123 compounds with higher melting points as nucleating sites. The resultant textured microstructure exhibits mainly low angle grain boundaries (up to 5 deg. misorientation). Results will be presented on the seed alignment techniques, the development of microstructure during reaction of the composite preform and preliminary measurements of electromagnetic properties. (au). 111 refs.

Ceramic high temperature superconductors for high current applications

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Christiansen, J.

1996-01-01

Composite Reaction Texturing (CRT) is a technique which uses a fine distribution of pre-aligned seeds as nucleating sites for texturing oxide superconductors. It has successfully been applied to the texturing of Bi-2212 compounds. A furhter application of CRT is reported in which Y-123 is biaxially textured using seeds of other Rare Earth-123 compounds with higher melting points as nucleating sites. The resultant textured microstructure exhibits mainly low angle grain boundaries (up to 5 deg. misorientation). Results will be presented on the seed alignment techniques, the development of microstructure during reaction of the composite preform and preliminary measurements of electromagnetic properties. (au)

Development of high temperature superconductors having high critical current density

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Hong, Gye Wong; Kim, C. J.; Lee, H.G.; Kwon, S. C.; Lee, H. J.; Kim, K. B.; Park, J. Y.; Jung, C. H.

2000-08-01

Fabrication of high T c superconductors and its applications for electric power device were carried out for developing superconductor application technologies. High quality YBCO superconductors was fabricated by melt texture growth, top-seeded melt growth process and multi-seeded melt growth process and the properties was compared. The critical current density of the melt processed YBCO superconductors was about few 10,000 A/cm 2 and the levitation force was 50 N. The processing time needed for the growth of the 123 single grain was greatly reduced by applying multi-seeding without no significant degradation of the levitation force. The multi-seeded melt growth process was confirmed as a time-saving and cost-effective method for the fabrication of bulk superconductors with controlled crystallographic orientation

Development of high temperature superconductors having high critical current density

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Hong, Gye Wong; Kim, C. J.; Lee, H.G.; Kwon, S. C.; Lee, H. J.; Kim, K. B.; Park, J. Y.; Jung, C. H

2000-08-01

Fabrication of high T{sub c} superconductors and its applications for electric power device were carried out for developing superconductor application technologies. High quality YBCO superconductors was fabricated by melt texture growth, top-seeded melt growth process and multi-seeded melt growth process and the properties was compared. The critical current density of the melt processed YBCO superconductors was about few 10,000 A/cm{sup 2} and the levitation force was 50 N. The processing time needed for the growth of the 123 single grain was greatly reduced by applying multi-seeding without no significant degradation of the levitation force. The multi-seeded melt growth process was confirmed as a time-saving and cost-effective method for the fabrication of bulk superconductors with controlled crystallographic orientation.

ASM Inaugural Lecture 2009: High temperature superconductors: Materials, mechanisms and applications

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Roslan Abdul Shukor

2009-01-01

A surprising variety of new superconducting materials has been discovered in recent years. Many compounds with light elements such as fullerenes, oxides, borides, nitrides, some organic materials and also heavy fermions have been found to superconductor at various temperatures. Hitherto, superconductors have proven to be highly varied in composition but elusive and mysterious. The juxtaposition of superconductivity and magnetism at the nano scale in some of these new materials has paved the way to a rich and exciting new field in condensed matter and materials research. An overview of superconductor research in Malaysian institutions is presented in this paper. Some of the new superconducting materials and their possible mechanisms, conventional and exotic, are presented. The possible role of lattice vibrations in the mechanisms of high temperature superconductivity and the study of this via acoustic methods are discussed. Frozen flux superconductors in a nano magnet-superconductor hybrid system are also discussed. (author)

Searching for superconductors with high critical temperature

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Chao, C

1977-08-18

Critical temperature of superconductors can be and must be raised so that their range of application can be broadened. It was estimated that, in 3 to 5 years, superconductor electric generators might be used in nuclear submarines and/or other applications where the requirements of small volume and light weight are critical. The BCS theory was recapitulated. Possible methods of achieving higher critical temperature were proposed and discussed.

The applicability of the vortex glass model in the layered superconductor Cu0.03TaS2

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Lu Junchao; Zhu Xiangde; Pi Li; Qu Zhe; Tan Shun; Zhang Yuheng

2011-01-01

The vortex glass theory has been successfully employed to describe the vortex phase state of high T C superconductors (HTSCs). Its validity can be examined by scaling the current-voltage isotherms with appropriate exponents and a universal scaling function. However, this second order phase transition model is not applicable for the layered superconductor Cu 0.03 TaS 2 due to its weak pinning, which could be proved by the peak effect in the M-H loop. Finally, we give the different pinning mechanisms with H||ab and H||c. Vortex strings and pancake vortices are formed under parallel and perpendicular magnetic fields, respectively. The vortex strings are pinned by normal layers in layered superconductors, while the pancake vortices are connected by Josephson coupling.

Ceramic superconductors II

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Yan, M.F.

1988-01-01

This volume compiles papers on ceramic superconductors. Topics include: structural patterns in High-Tc superconductors, phase equilibria of barium oxide superconductors, localized electrons in tetragonal YBa/sub 2/Cu/sub 3/O/sub 7-δ/, lattice and defect structure and properties of rare earth/alkaline earth-copper-oxide superconductors, alternate candidates for High-Tc superconductors, perovskite-structure superconductors; superconductive thin film fabrication, and superconductor/polymer composites

Magnetic levitation and its application for education devices based on YBCO bulk superconductors

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Yang, W.M.; Chao, X.X.; Guo, F.X.; Li, J.W.; Chen, S.L.

2013-01-01

Highlights: • A small superconducting maglev propeller system has been designed and constructed based on YBCO bulk superconductors. • Several small maglev vehicle models have been designed and constructed based on YBCO bulk superconductors. • The models can be used as experimental or demonstration devices for the magnetic levitation applications. -- Abstract: A small superconducting maglev propeller system, a small spacecraft model suspending and moving around a terrestrial globe, several small maglev vehicle models and a magnetic circuit converter have been designed and constructed. The track was paved by NdFeB magnets, the arrangement of the magnets made us easy to get a uniform distribution of magnetic field along the length direction of the track and a high magnetic field gradient in the lateral direction. When the YBCO bulks mounted inside the vehicle models or spacecraft model was field cooled to LN 2 temperature at a certain distance away from the track, they could be automatically floating over and moving along the track without any obvious friction. The models can be used as experimental or demonstration devices for the magnetic levitation applications

Magnetic levitation and its application for education devices based on YBCO bulk superconductors

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Yang, W.M., E-mail: yangwm@snnu.edu.cn; Chao, X.X.; Guo, F.X.; Li, J.W.; Chen, S.L.

2013-10-15

Highlights: • A small superconducting maglev propeller system has been designed and constructed based on YBCO bulk superconductors. • Several small maglev vehicle models have been designed and constructed based on YBCO bulk superconductors. • The models can be used as experimental or demonstration devices for the magnetic levitation applications. -- Abstract: A small superconducting maglev propeller system, a small spacecraft model suspending and moving around a terrestrial globe, several small maglev vehicle models and a magnetic circuit converter have been designed and constructed. The track was paved by NdFeB magnets, the arrangement of the magnets made us easy to get a uniform distribution of magnetic field along the length direction of the track and a high magnetic field gradient in the lateral direction. When the YBCO bulks mounted inside the vehicle models or spacecraft model was field cooled to LN{sub 2} temperature at a certain distance away from the track, they could be automatically floating over and moving along the track without any obvious friction. The models can be used as experimental or demonstration devices for the magnetic levitation applications.

Inhomogeneous superconductors

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Tinkham, M.

1978-01-01

The coherence length xi and penetration depth lambda set the characteristic length scales in superconductors, typically 100 to 5,000 A. A lattice of flux lines, each carrying a single quantum, can penetrate type II superconductors, i.e., those for which kappa identical with lambda/xi > 1/√2. Inhomogeneities on the scale of the flux lattice spacing are required to pin the lattice to prevent dissipative flux motion. Recent work using voids as pinning centers has demonstrated this principle, but practical materials rely on cold-work, inclusions of second phases, etc., to provide the inhomogeneity. For stability against thermal fluctuations, the superconductor should have the form of many filaments of diameter 10 to 100 μm imbedded in a highly conductive normal metal matrix. Such wire is made by drawing down billets of copper containing rods of the superconductor. An alternative approach is the metallurgical one of Tsuei, which leads to thousands of superconducting filamentary segments in a copper matrix. The superconducting proximity effect causes the whole material to superconduct at low current densities. At high current densities, the range of the proximity effect is reduced so that the effective superconducting volume fraction falls below the percolation threshold, and a finite resistance arises from the copper matrix. But, because of the extremely elongated filaments, this resistance is orders of magnitude lower than that of the normal wire, and low enough to permit the possibility of technical applications

High temperature superconductor cable concepts for fusion magnets

CERN Document Server

AUTHOR|(CDS)2078397

2013-01-01

Three concepts of high temperature superconductor cables carrying kA currents (RACC, CORC and TSTC) are investigated, optimized and evaluated in the scope of their applicability as conductor in fusion magnets. The magnetic field and temperature dependence of the cables is measured; the thermal expansion and conductivity of structure, insulation and filling materials are investigated. High temperature superconductor winding packs for fusion magnets are calculated and compared with corresponding low temperature superconductor cases.

The superconductor

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Lad, J.K.

1979-01-01

Techniques for fabrication of a few important superconductors like Nb, Ti and Nb 3 Sn are described. Copper or bronze or both can be used as a matrix in the superconductor. Current densities obtained for different ratios of copper to superconductor are studied. The specifications of multi-filament Nb 3 Sn superconductors are given. The relative merits of the two superconductors are discussed. The temperature range obtained is approximately 3 0 K and a magnetic field of 9T(tesla) can be achieved. (A.K.)

Theory of terahertz electric oscillations by supercooled superconductors

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Mishonov, Todor M; Mishonov, Mihail T [Department of Theoretical Physics, Faculty of Physics, University of Sofia St Kliment Ohridski, 5 J Bourchier Boulevard, 1164 Sofia (Bulgaria); Laboratorium voor Vaste-Stoffysica en Magnetisme, Katholieke Universiteit Leuven, Celestijnenlaan 200 D B-3001 Leuven (Belgium)

2005-11-15

We predict that below T{sub c} a regime of negative differential conductivity (NDC) can be reached. The superconductor should be supercooled to Tsuperconductor is created by the excess conductivity of the fluctuation Cooper pairs. We propose NDC of supercooled superconductors to be used as an active medium for generation of electric oscillations. Such generators can be used in the superconducting electronics as a new type THz source of radiation. Oscillations can be modulated by the change of the bias voltage, electrostatic doping by a gate electrode when the superconductor is the channel of a field effect transistor, or by light. When small amplitude oscillations are stabilized near the critical temperature T{sub c} the generator can be used as a bolometer. NDC, which is essential for the applications, is predicted on the basis of analysis of known results for fluctuation conductivity, obtained in previous papers by solving the Boltzmann kinetic equation for the Cooper pairs metastable in the normal phase. The Boltzmann equation for fluctuation Cooper pairs is a result of state-of-the-art application of the microscopic theory of superconductivity. Our theoretical conclusions are based on some approximations like time dependent Ginzburg-Landau theory initially derived for gapless superconductors, but nevertheless can reliably predict the appearance of NDC. NDC is the main ingredient of the proposed technical applications. The maximal frequency at which superconductors can operate as generators is determined by the critical temperature {Dirac_h}/2{pi}{omega}{sub max} {approx} k{sub B}T{sub c}. For high-T{sub c} superconductors this maximal frequency falls well inside the terahertz range. Technical conditions to avoid nucleation of the superconducting phase are briefly discussed. We suggest that nanostructured high-T{sub c} superconductors patterned in a single chip can

Electrochemical treatment of an oxide material, application to superconductors, and obtained superconductors

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Grenier, J.C.; Pouchard, M.; Wattiaux, A.

1991-01-01

The present invention describes the electrochemical treatment of a superconductor oxide so as to modify its stoichiometry. These materials comprise in their anionic lattice oxygenated and hydrogenated species. These treated materials are prepared by an electrochemical process in which the oxide is an electrode in a liquid electrolysis. 3 refs., 3 figs

Functional development in density functional theory for superconductors

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Sanna, Antonio; Gross, E.K.U.; Essenberger, Frank [Max Planck Institute of Microstructure Physics, Halle (Saale) (Germany)

2015-07-01

Density functional theory for superconductors (SCDFT) is a fully parameter-free approach to superconductivity that allows for accurate predictions of critical temperature and properties of superconductors. We report on the most recent extensions of the method, in particular the development of new functionals to: (1) incorporate in a correct fashion Migdal's theorem; (2) compute the excitation spectrum; (3) include spin-fluctuation mediated pairing Applications and predictions are shown for a set of materials, including conventional and unconventional superconductors.

Modelling of bulk superconductor magnetization

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Ainslie, M D; Fujishiro, H

2015-01-01

This paper presents a topical review of the current state of the art in modelling the magnetization of bulk superconductors, including both (RE)BCO (where RE = rare earth or Y) and MgB 2 materials. Such modelling is a powerful tool to understand the physical mechanisms of their magnetization, to assist in interpretation of experimental results, and to predict the performance of practical bulk superconductor-based devices, which is particularly important as many superconducting applications head towards the commercialization stage of their development in the coming years. In addition to the analytical and numerical techniques currently used by researchers for modelling such materials, the commonly used practical techniques to magnetize bulk superconductors are summarized with a particular focus on pulsed field magnetization (PFM), which is promising as a compact, mobile and relatively inexpensive magnetizing technique. A number of numerical models developed to analyse the issues related to PFM and optimise the technique are described in detail, including understanding the dynamics of the magnetic flux penetration and the influence of material inhomogeneities, thermal properties, pulse duration, magnitude and shape, and the shape of the magnetization coil(s). The effect of externally applied magnetic fields in different configurations on the attenuation of the trapped field is also discussed. A number of novel and hybrid bulk superconductor structures are described, including improved thermal conductivity structures and ferromagnet–superconductor structures, which have been designed to overcome some of the issues related to bulk superconductors and their magnetization and enhance the intrinsic properties of bulk superconductors acting as trapped field magnets. Finally, the use of hollow bulk cylinders/tubes for shielding is analysed. (topical review)

Strain effects in oxide superconductors

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Wada, H.; Kuroda, T.; Sekine, H.; Yuyama, M.; Itoh, K.

1991-01-01

Strain sensitivities of superconducting properties are critical to high magnetic field applications of superconductors, since critical temperature, T c , upper critical field, H c2 , and critical current (density), I c (J c ), are all degraded under strains. Oxide superconductors so far known are all very fragile, thus requiring to be fabricated in the form of composite. In the case of practical metallic superconductors, such as Nb 3 Sn and V 3 Ga, the so-called bronze method has been developed where these superconducting intermetallics are enveloped in a ductile metallic sheath. Recently, a fabrication method similar to the bronze method has been developed for the Bi 2 Sr 2 Ca 2 Cu 3 O x superconductors using Ag tubes as sheath. In the present study mono- and multicore BiPbSrCaCuO tape conductors were prepared by means of this Ag-sheath composite method, and examined in terms of strain sensitivity by measuring their T c and I c (J c ) under bending or tensile strains. (orig.)

Briefing on superconductor developments

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Larbalestier, D.

1987-01-01

In this paper, the author covers the technology of the new oxide superconductors and how they might relate to the existing superconductors. He discusses old-fashioned superconductors; the material science of superconductors; the new oxide superconductors; and the future of oxide superconductors. 13 figures, 1 table

Application of high temperature ceramic superconductors (CSC) to commercial tokamak reactors

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Ehst, D.A.; Kim, S.; Gohar, Y.; Turner, L.; Smith, D.L.; Mattas, R.

1988-08-01

Ceramic superconductors operating near liquid nitrogen temperature may experience higher heating rates without losing stability, compared conventional superconductors. This will permit cable design with less stabilizer, reducing fabrication costs for large fusion magnets. Magnet performance is studied for different operating current densities in the superconductor, and cost benefits to commercial tokamak reactors are estimated. It appears that 10 kA /center dot/ cm/sup /minus/2/ (at 77 K and /approximately/10 T) is a target current density which must be achieved in order for the ceramic superconductors to compete with conventional materials. At current densities around 50 kA /center dot/ cm/sup /minus/2/ most potential benefits have already been gained, as magnet structural steel begins to dominate the cost at this point. For a steady state reactor reductions of /approximately/7% are forecast for the overall capital cost of the power plant in the best case. An additional /approximately/3% cost saving is possible for pulsed tokamaks. 9 refs., 4 figs., 8 tabs

Application of high temperature ceramic superconductors (CSC) to commercial tokamak reactors

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Ehst, D.A.; Kim, S.; Gohar, Y.; Turner, L.; Smith, D.L.; Mattas, R.

1987-10-01

Ceramic superconductors operating near liquid nitrogen temperature may experience higher heating rates without losing stability, compared to conventional superconductors. This will permit cable design with less stabilizer, reducing fabrication costs for large fusion magnets. Magnet performance is studied for different operating current densities in the superconductor, and cost benefits to commercial tokamak reactors are estimated. It appears that 10 kA . cm -2 (at 77 K and ∼10 T) is a target current density which must be achieved in order for the ceramic superconductors to compete with conventional materials. At current densities around 50 kA . cm -2 most potential benefits have already been gained, as magnet structural steel begins to dominate the cost at this point. For a steady state reactor reductions of ∼7% are forecast for the overall capital cost of the power plant in the best case. An additional ∼3% cost saving is possible for pulsed tokamaks. 9 refs., 4 figs., 8 tabs

Motor models and transient analysis for high-temperature, superconductor switch-based adjustable speed drive applications. Final report

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Bailey, J.M.

1996-06-01

New high-temperature superconductor (HTSC) technology may allow development of an energy-efficient power electronics switch for adjustable speed drive (ASD) applications involving variable-speed motors, superconducting magnetic energy storage systems, and other power conversion equipment. This project developed a motor simulation module for determining optimal applications of HTSC-based power switches in ASD systems

Advanced technologies related to a high temperature superconductor for small laboratory experiments

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Ogawa, Yuichi; Mito, Toshiyuki; Yanagi, Nagato

2006-01-01

Advanced technologies related to a high temperature superconductor materials and small refrigerator are reviewed. Mini-RT/RT-1 is designed and constructed as a plasma examination device. The element technology of low temperature apparatus, the results of performance tests and application examples are explained. The superconductors such as Bi 2 Sr 2 CaCu 2 O 8 (Bi-2212) for the low temperature phase, Bi 2 Sr 2 Ca 2 Cu 3 O 10 (Bi-2223) for the high temperature phase, and YBa 2 Cu 3 O y (YBCO or Y123) are described. Advanced 4K-Giford-Mcmahon (GM) refrigerator on the market put superconductor coil made of low temperature superconductor metals to practical use and extends its application field. Small laboratory is able to experiment on the high temperature superconductor materials. (S.Y.)

Oxygen diffusion in cuprate superconductors

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Routbort, J.L.; Rothman, S.J.

1995-01-01

Superconducting properties of the cuprate superconductors depend on the oxygen content of the material; the diffusion of oxygen is thus an important process in the fabrication and application of these materials. This article reviews studies of the diffusion of oxygen in La 2-x Sr x CuO 4 , YBa 2 Cu 3 O 7- δ, YBa 2 Cu 4 O 8 , and the Bi 2 Sr 2 Ca n-1 Cu n O 2+4 (n = 1, and 2) superconductors, and attempt to elucidate the atomic mechanisms responsible

Superconductor-ferromagnet-superconductor nanojunctions from perovskite materials

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Štrbík, V.; Beňačka, Š.; Gaži, Š.; Španková, M.; Šmatko, V.; Knoška, J.; Gál, N.; Chromik, Š.; Sojková, M.; Pisarčík, M.

2017-01-01

Highlights: • Superconductor-ferromagnet-superconductor nanojunction. • Nanojunctions prepared by Ga"3"+ focused ion beam patterning. • Indication of triplet Cooper pair component in junction superconducting current. • Qualitative agreement with theoretical model. - Abstract: The lateral superconductor-ferromagnet–superconductor (SFS) nanojunctions based on high critical temperature superconductor YBa_2Cu_3O_x (YBCO) and half-metallic ferromagnet La_0_._6_7Sr_0_._3_3MnO_3 (LSMO) thin films were prepared to investigate a possible presence of long range triplet component (LRTC) of Cooper pairs in the LSMO. We applied Ga"3"+ focused ion beam patterning to create YBCO/LSMO/YBCO lateral type nanojunctions with LSMO length as small as 40 nm. The resistivity vs. temperature, critical current density vs. temperature and resistance vs. magnetic field dependence were studied to recognize the LRTC of Cooper pairs in the LSMO. A non-monotonic temperature dependence of junction critical current density and a decrease of the SFS nanojunction resistance in increased magnetic field were observed. Only weak manifestations of LRTC and some qualitative agreement with theory were found out in SFS nanojunctions realized from the perovskite materials. The presence of equal-spin triplet component of Cooper pairs in half-metallic LSMO ferromagnet is not such apparent as in SFS junctions prepared from low temperature superconductors NbTiN and half-metallic ferromagnet CrO_2.

Melt-growth bulk superconductors and application to an axial-gap-type rotating machine

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Zhang, Yufeng; Zhou, Difan; Ida, Tetsuya; Miki, Motohiro; Izumi, Mitsuru

2016-01-01

The present manuscript addresses key issues in the course of our study of materials processing of bulk high-temperature superconductors, trapped flux and its application to a prototype axial-gap-type rotating machine. The TUMSAT group has conducted a series of studies since 2003 on the growth of GdBa 2 Cu 3 O 7−δ bulk material and its application in a compact low-speed high-torque rotating machine. In the stage of material growth, gaining the advantage of a large motive torque density requires large integrated flux in the motor/generators. A large grain surface might be required with sophisticated techniques for the melt-growth texture in the bulk with optimal flux pinning. In the second stage, the in situ magnetization procedure for bulk superconductors in the applied machine is a crucial part of the technology. Pulsed current excitation by using an armature copper winding has magnetized field pole bulks on the rotor. The axial-gap flux synchronous machine studied in the past decade is a condensed technology and indicates that further scientific development is required for a future compact machine to be superior to conventional ones in accordance with the cryogenic periphery and flux stabilization. (paper)

Proposal of Magnetic Circuit using Magnetic Shielding with Bulk-Type High Tc Superconductors

Science.gov (United States)

Fukuoka, Katsuhiro; Hashimoto, Mitsuo; Tomita, Masaru; Murakami, Masato

Recently, bulk-type high Tc superconductors having a characteristic of critical current density over 104 A/cm2 in liquid nitrogen temperature (77K) on 1T, can be produced. They are promising for many practical applications such as a magnetic bearing, a magnetic levitation, a flywheel, a magnetic shielding and others. In this research, we propose a magnetic circuit that is able to use for the magnetic shield of plural superconductors as an application of bulk-type high Tc superconductors. It is a closed magnetic circuit by means of a toroidal core. Characteristics of the magnetic circuit surrounded with superconductors are evaluated and the possibility is examined. As the magnetic circuit of the ferrite core is surrounded with superconductors, the magnetic flux is shielded even if it leaked from the ferrite core.

Superconductor-ferromagnet-superconductor nanojunctions from perovskite materials

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Štrbík, V., E-mail: vladimir.strbik@savba.sk [Institute of Electrical Engineering, SAS, Dúbravská Cesta 9, Bratislava (Slovakia); Beňačka, Š.; Gaži, Š.; Španková, M.; Šmatko, V. [Institute of Electrical Engineering, SAS, Dúbravská Cesta 9, Bratislava (Slovakia); Knoška, J. [Center for Free-Electron Laser Science, DESY, Notkestraße 85, 22607, Hamburg (Germany); Department of Physics, University of Hamburg, Luruper Chaussee 149, 22607, Hamburg (Germany); Gál, N.; Chromik, Š.; Sojková, M.; Pisarčík, M. [Institute of Electrical Engineering, SAS, Dúbravská Cesta 9, Bratislava (Slovakia)

2017-02-15

Highlights: • Superconductor-ferromagnet-superconductor nanojunction. • Nanojunctions prepared by Ga{sup 3+} focused ion beam patterning. • Indication of triplet Cooper pair component in junction superconducting current. • Qualitative agreement with theoretical model. - Abstract: The lateral superconductor-ferromagnet–superconductor (SFS) nanojunctions based on high critical temperature superconductor YBa{sub 2}Cu{sub 3}O{sub x} (YBCO) and half-metallic ferromagnet La{sub 0.67}Sr{sub 0.33}MnO{sub 3} (LSMO) thin films were prepared to investigate a possible presence of long range triplet component (LRTC) of Cooper pairs in the LSMO. We applied Ga{sup 3+} focused ion beam patterning to create YBCO/LSMO/YBCO lateral type nanojunctions with LSMO length as small as 40 nm. The resistivity vs. temperature, critical current density vs. temperature and resistance vs. magnetic field dependence were studied to recognize the LRTC of Cooper pairs in the LSMO. A non-monotonic temperature dependence of junction critical current density and a decrease of the SFS nanojunction resistance in increased magnetic field were observed. Only weak manifestations of LRTC and some qualitative agreement with theory were found out in SFS nanojunctions realized from the perovskite materials. The presence of equal-spin triplet component of Cooper pairs in half-metallic LSMO ferromagnet is not such apparent as in SFS junctions prepared from low temperature superconductors NbTiN and half-metallic ferromagnet CrO{sub 2}.

Potentialities in electronics of new high critical temperature superconductors

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Hartemann, P.

1989-01-01

The main electronic applications of superconductors involve the signal processing, the electromagnetic wave detection and the magnetometry. Characteristics of devices based on conventional superconductors cooled by liquid helium are given and the changes induced by incorporating high-temperature superconductors are estimated. After a survey of new superconductor properties, the superconducting devices for analog or digital signal processing are reviewed. The gains predicted for high-temperature superconducting analog devices are considered in greater detail. Different sections deal with the infrared or (sub)millimeter wave detection. The most sensitive apparatuses for magnetic measurements are based on SQUIDs. Features of SQUIDs made of granular high-temperature superconducting material samples (grain boundaries behave as barriers of intrinsic junctions) are discussed [fr

Hyper- and hypobaric processing of Tl-Ba-Ca-Cu-O superconductors

Science.gov (United States)

Goretta, K. C.; Routbort, J. L.; Shi, Donglu; Chen, J. G.; Hash, M. C.

1989-11-01

Tl-based superconductors of initial composition Tl:Ca:Ba:Cu equal to 2:2:2:3 and 1:3:1:3 were heated in oxygen at pressures of 10(sup 4) to 6 (times) 10(sup 5) Pa. The 2:2:2:3 composition formed primarily the 2-layer superconductor with zero resistance from 77 to 104 K. The 1:3:1:3 composition formed nearly phase pure 3-layer superconductor with a maximum zero resistance temperature of 120 K. Application of hyperbaric pressure influenced phase purities and transition temperatures slightly; phase purities decreased significantly with application of hypobaric pressures.

Forces and energy dissipation in inhomogeneous non-equilibrium superconductors

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Poluehktov, Yu.M.; Slezov, V.V.

1987-01-01

The phenomenological theory of volume forces and dissipation processes in inhomogeneous non-equilibrium superconductors near temperature transition from the normal to superconducting state is constructed. The approach is based on application of dynamic equations of superconductivity formulated on the basis of the Lagrangian formalism. These equations are generalized the Ginzburg-Landau theory in the nonstationary non-equilibrium case for ''foul'' superconductors. The value estimations of volume forces arising in inhomogeneities during relaxation of an order parameter and when the electrical field is penetrated into the superconductor, are given

Superconductor Digital-RF Receiver Systems

Science.gov (United States)

Mukhanov, Oleg A.; Kirichenko, Dmitri; Vernik, Igor V.; Filippov, Timur V.; Kirichenko, Alexander; Webber, Robert; Dotsenko, Vladimir; Talalaevskii, Andrei; Tang, Jia Cao; Sahu, Anubhav; Shevchenko, Pavel; Miller, Robert; Kaplan, Steven B.; Sarwana, Saad; Gupta, Deepnarayan

Digital superconductor electronics has been experiencing rapid maturation with the emergence of smaller-scale, lower-cost communications applications which became the major technology drivers. These applications are primarily in the area of wireless communications, radar, and surveillance as well as in imaging and sensor systems. In these areas, the fundamental advantages of superconductivity translate into system benefits through novel Digital-RF architectures with direct digitization of wide band, high frequency radio frequency (RF) signals. At the same time the availability of relatively small 4K cryocoolers has lowered the foremost market barrier for cryogenically-cooled digital electronic systems. Recently, we have achieved a major breakthrough in the development, demonstration, and successful delivery of the cryocooled superconductor digital-RF receivers directly digitizing signals in a broad range from kilohertz to gigahertz. These essentially hybrid-technology systems combine a variety of superconductor and semiconductor technologies packaged with two-stage commercial cryocoolers: cryogenic Nb mixed-signal and digital circuits based on Rapid Single Flux Quantum (RSFQ) technology, room-temperature amplifiers, FPGA processing and control circuitry. The demonstrated cryocooled digital-RF systems are the world's first and fastest directly digitizing receivers operating with live satellite signals in X-band and performing signal acquisition in HF to L-band at ˜30GHz clock frequencies.

High-frequency applications of high-temperature superconductor thin films

Science.gov (United States)

Klein, N.

2002-10-01

High-temperature superconducting thin films offer unique properties which can be utilized for a variety of high-frequency device applications in many areas related to the strongly progressing market of information technology. One important property is an exceptionally low level of microwave absorption at temperatures attainable with low power cryocoolers. This unique property has initiated the development of various novel type of microwave devices and commercialized subsystems with special emphasis on application in advanced microwave communication systems. The second important achievement related to efforts in oxide thin and multilayer technology was the reproducible fabrication of low-noise Josephson junctions in high-temperature superconducting thin films. As a consequence of this achievement, several novel nonlinear high-frequency devices, most of them exploiting the unique features of the ac Josephson effect, have been developed and found to exhibit challenging properties to be utilized in basic metrology and Terahertz technology. On the longer timescale, the achievements in integrated high-temperature superconductor circuit technology may offer a strong potential for the development of digital devices with possible clock frequencies in the range of 100 GHz.

High-frequency applications of high-temperature superconductor thin films

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Klein, N.

2002-01-01

High-temperature superconducting thin films offer unique properties which can be utilized for a variety of high-frequency device applications in many areas related to the strongly progressing market of information technology. One important property is an exceptionally low level of microwave absorption at temperatures attainable with low power cryocoolers. This unique property has initiated the development of various novel type of microwave devices and commercialized subsystems with special emphasis on application in advanced microwave communication systems. The second important achievement related to efforts in oxide thin and multilayer technology was the reproducible fabrication of low-noise Josephson junctions in high-temperature superconducting thin films. As a consequence of this achievement, several novel nonlinear high-frequency devices, most of them exploiting the unique features of the ac Josephson effect, have been developed and found to exhibit challenging properties to be utilized in basic metrology and Terahertz technology. On the longer timescale, the achievements in integrated high-temperature superconductor circuit technology may offer a strong potential for the development of digital devices with possible clock frequencies in the range of 100 GHz. (author)

Processing and characterization of ceramic superconductor/polymer composites

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Kander, R.G.; Namboodri, S.L.

1993-01-01

One way to more easily process a brittle high-temperature ceramic superconductor into a useful structure is to combine it with a polymer to form a composite material. Processing of polymer-based composites into complex shapes is well established and relatively easy when compared with traditional ceramic processing unit operations. In addition, incorporating a ceramic superconductor into a polymer matrix can improve mechanical performance as compared with a monolithic ceramic. Finally, because ceramic superconductors are susceptible to attack by moisture, a polymer-based composite structure can also provide protection from deleterious environmental effects. This paper focuses on the processing and subsequent characterization of ceramic superconductor/polymer composites designed primarily for electromagnetic shielding and diamagnetic applications. YBa 2 Cu 3 O 7-x [YBCO] ceramic superconductor is combined with poly(methyl methacrylate) [PMMA] to form novel composite structures. Composite structures have been molded with both a discontinuous superconducting phase (i.e., ceramic particulate reinforced polymers) and with a continuous superconducting phase (i.e., polymer infiltrated porous ceramics). Characterization of these composite structures includes the determination of diamagnetic strength, electromagnetic shielding effectiveness, mechanical performance, and environmental resistance. The goal of this program is to produce a composite structure with increased mechanical integrity and environmental resistance at liquid nitrogen temperatures without compromising the electromagnetic shielding and diamagnetic properties of the superconducting phase. Composites structures of this type are potentially useful in numerous magnetic applications including electromagnetic shielding, magnetic sensors, energy storage, magnetic levitation, and motor windings

Theory of tunneling in metal--superconductor devices: Supercurrents in the superconductor gap at zero temperature

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Garcia, N.; Flores, F.; Guinea, F.

1988-01-01

Tunneling experiments in metal-oxide superconductor have shown the existence of ''leakage'' currents for applied voltages V smaller than one-half of the superconductor gap Δ. These currents are independent of temperature T. Recently experiments with scanning tunneling microscopy (STM) and squeezable tunnel junctions have shown that the observation of the superconductor gap depends strongly on the resistance in the junction. In fact only for resistances larger than ∼10 6 Ω the gap is clearly observable. These experiments have been explained in terms of the perturbative Hamiltonian formalism of Bardeen. However, it may happen that this theory while applicable for very large resistances may not be so for small tunnel resistances. We present here a nonperturbative theory in all orders of the transmitivity chemical bondTochemical bond 2 and show the existence of supercurrents for values of V 2 . We believe that experiments in STM and other junctions should be interpreted in the frame of this theory

Impact of radiation exposure on mechanical and superconducting properties of Bi-2212 superconductor ceramics

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Azlan Abdul Rahman; Nasri Abdul Hamid; Abdul Aziz Mohamed; Mohd Shahrul Nizam Abdullah; Samsul Isman; Hidayah Zainal

2013-01-01

Full-text: For practical applications of high-temperature superconductor ceramics, the compounds must be able to sustain extreme mechanical stress and external magnetic field. Bi-2212 superconductor is one of the existing superconductors that are commonly used in various applications. Improvement in the microstructure enhanced the connectivity of the adjacent grains within the superconducting grains, and as such improved the mechanical strength of the ceramics. The ability of the superconductor ceramics to sustain superconducting properties in external magnetic field is also required. The compounds must be able to maintain high transport critical current density (Jc) in magnetic field. Another potential application of superconductors is at the nuclear facilities. Thus, study on the impact of radiation exposure on the mechanical and superconducting properties is very important to gauge the viability of superconductor ceramics in such environment. In this study, the mechanical and superconducting properties between exposure and non-irradiated samples are compared. Characterization will be done by the temperature dependence on electrical resistance measurements, X-ray diffraction (XRD), Scanning Electron Microscopy (SEM) and measurements of transport critical current (Jc) dependence on temperature in magnetic field. (author)

Organic superconductors

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Bulaevskij, L.N.; Shchegolev, I.F.

1986-01-01

Main achievements in creating new organic conducting materials - synthetic metals and superconductors, are considered. The processes of superconductivity occurrence in organic materials are discussed. It is shown that conjugated bonds between C and H atoms in organic molecules play an important role in this case. At present ''crystal direction'' in organic superconductor synthesis is mainly developed. Later on, organic superconductor crystals are supposed to be introduced into usual polymers, e.g. polyethylene

Application of high temperature superconductors for fusion

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Fietz, W.H.; Heller, R.; Schlachter, S.I.; Goldacker, W.

2011-01-01

The use of High Temperature Superconductor (HTS) materials in future fusion machines can increase the efficiency drastically. For ITER, W7-X and JT-60SA the economic benefit of HTS current leads was recognized after a 70 kA HTS current lead demonstrator was designed, fabricated and successfully tested by Karlsruhe Institute of Technology (KIT, which is a merge of former Forschungszentrum Karlsruhe and University of Karlsruhe). For ITER, the Chinese Domestic Agency will provide the current leads as a part of the superconducting feeder system. KIT is in charge of design, construction and test of HTS current leads for W7-X and JT-60SA. For W7-X 14 current leads with a maximum current of 18.2 kA are required that are oriented with the room temperature end at the bottom. JT60-SA will need 26 current leads (20 leads - 20 kA and 6 leads - 25.7 kA) which are mounted in vertical, normal position. These current leads are based on BiSCCO HTS superconductors, demonstrating that HTS material is now state of the art for highly efficient current leads. With respect to future fusion reactors, it would be very promising to use HTS material not only in current leads but also in coils. This would allow a large increase of efficiency if the coils could be operated at temperatures ≥65 K. With such a high temperature it would be possible to omit the radiation shield of the coils, resulting in a less complex cryostat and a size reduction of the machine. In addition less refrigeration power is needed saving investment and operating costs. However, to come to an HTS fusion coil it is necessary to develop low ac loss HTS cables for currents well above 20 kA at high fields well above 10 T. The high field rules BiSCCO superconductors out at temperatures above 50 K, but RE-123 superconductors are promising. The development of a high current, high field RE-123 HTS fusion cable will not be targeted outside fusion community and has to be in the frame of a long term development programme for

In silico optimization of critical currents in superconductors

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Kimmel, Gregory; Sadovskyy, Ivan A.; Glatz, Andreas

2017-07-01

For many technological applications of superconductors the performance of a material is determined by the highest current it can carry losslessly-the critical current. In turn, the critical current can be controlled by adding nonsuperconducting defects in the superconductor matrix. Here we report on systematic comparison of different local and global optimization strategies to predict optimal structures of pinning centers leading to the highest possible critical currents. We demonstrate performance of these methods for a superconductor with randomly placed spherical, elliptical, and columnar defects.

Development of application technique of bulk high-Tc superconductor

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Hong, Kye Won; Kim, Chan Joong; Kim, Kee Baek; Kwon, Sun Chil; Won, Dong Yun; Lee, Hoh Jin; Lee, Heui Kyoon; Jang, Kun Ik; Yang, Suk Woo

1995-03-01

YBCO-Ag composite superconductors were prepared by extrusion using inorganic binder materials. In the case of the undoped 1-2-3 sample with a dia. of 2.5 mm, critical current density (Jc) was 150 A/cm 2 and current density (Ic) was 10 amps. In the case of the sample with a die. of 4.5 mm, meanwhile, Jc and Ic were 50 A/cm 2 and 32 amps, respectively. Influence of BaCeO 3 addition on magnetization characteristics of melt-textured Y-Ba-Cu-O superconductor was investigated. The variation of magnetization behavior due to the addition of BaCeO 3 is discussed on the basis of the related microstructures. 37 figs, 1 tab, 56 refs. (Author)

Development of superconductor application technology -Advanced nuclear materials development-

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Hong, Gyee Won; Won, Dong Yeon; Lee, Hui Gyun; Lee, Ho Jin; Kim, Chan Joong; Park, Soon Dong; Kim, Uh Kon; Kim, Ki Baek; Kwon, Seon Chil; Kim, Yeon Soo; Lim, Dae Ho; Kim, Jong Jin

1994-06-01

Formation of oxide superconducting phase, fabrication of superconducting wire, design and fabrication of precise superconducting magnet were studied for developing superconductor application technique. The CeO 2 addition reduced the particle size of Y 2 BaCuO 5 trapped in the matrix after the melt-texture growth. The anomally is not observed at low temperature, which indicates that the oxygen deficiency is not effective flux pinning site at these temperature. Powder-in-powder method was developed to make superconducting wire. The stacking method for bonding the high Tc superconducting tapes was developed and proto-type current lead was fabricated by this technique. The precise superconducting coil was designed and fabricated. The required 4.02tesla was obtained on 139 A. The field deviation along the z axis of 5 cm was below 10 ppm when using 4 terms of shim cols. (Author)

Fabrication of high temperature superconductors

Science.gov (United States)

Balachandran, Uthamalingam; Dorris, Stephen E.; Ma, Beihai; Li, Meiya

2003-06-17

A method of forming a biaxially aligned superconductor on a non-biaxially aligned substrate substantially chemically inert to the biaxially aligned superconductor comprising is disclosed. A non-biaxially aligned substrate chemically inert to the superconductor is provided and a biaxially aligned superconductor material is deposited directly on the non-biaxially aligned substrate. A method forming a plume of superconductor material and contacting the plume and the non-biaxially aligned substrate at an angle greater than 0.degree. and less than 90.degree. to deposit a biaxially aligned superconductor on the non-biaxially aligned substrate is also disclosed. Various superconductors and substrates are illustrated.

Upper critical fields and critical current densities of Fe-based superconductors as compared to those of other technical superconductors

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Pallecchi, I., E-mail: ilaria.pallecchi@spin.cnr.it [CNR-SPIN, Corso Perrone 24, 16152 Genova (Italy); Tropeano, M. [Columbus Superconductors S.p.A, Via delle Terre Rosse 30, 16133 Genova (Italy); Lamura, G. [CNR-SPIN, Corso Perrone 24, 16152 Genova (Italy); Pani, M. [Dipartimento di Chimica e Chimica Industriale, Universita di Genova, Via Dodecaneso 31, 16146 Genova (Italy); Palombo, M. [Columbus Superconductors S.p.A, Via delle Terre Rosse 30, 16133 Genova (Italy); Dipartimento di Chimica e Chimica Industriale, Universita di Genova, Via Dodecaneso 31, 16146 Genova (Italy); Dipartimento di Fisica, Universita di Genova, Via Dodecaneso 33, 16146 Genova (Italy); Palenzona, A. [Dipartimento di Chimica e Chimica Industriale, Universita di Genova, Via Dodecaneso 31, 16146 Genova (Italy); Putti, M. [CNR-SPIN, Corso Perrone 24, 16152 Genova (Italy); Dipartimento di Fisica, Universita di Genova, Via Dodecaneso 33, 16146 Genova (Italy)

2012-11-20

Three years since the discovery by the Hosono's group of Fe-based superconductors, an enormous number of compounds, belonging to several different families have been discovered and fundamental properties have been deeply investigated in order to clarify the interplay between magnetisms and superconductivity in these compounds. Indeed, the actual potential of these compounds for practical applications remains still unclear. Fe-based superconductors are midway between high temperature superconductors (HTSCs) and MgB{sub 2}. In Fe-based superconductors the critical current is rather independent of the field, similarly to HTSCs, as a consequence of the exceptionally high upper critical field and strong pinning associated with nm-scale local modulations of the order parameter. They exhibit low anisotropy of the critical current with respect to the crystalline directions, as in the case of MgB{sub 2}, which allows current flow along the c-axis. However, Fe-based superconductor polycrystalline materials currently available still exhibit electromagnetic granularity, like the HTSCs, which suppresses superconducting current flow over long length. Whether the nature of such granularity is extrinsic, as due to spurious phases or cracks between grains or intrinsic, as related to misalignment of adjacent grains, is under debate. These aspects will be reviewed in the light of the recent literature.

On the applicability of the layered sine-Gordon model for Josephson-coupled high-Tc layered superconductors

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Nandori, I; Jentschura, U D; Nagy, S; Sailer, K; Vad, K; Meszaros, S

2007-01-01

We find a mapping of the layered sine-Gordon model to an equivalent gas of topological excitations and determine the long-range interaction potentials of the topological defects. This enables us to make a detailed comparison to the so-called layered vortex gas, which can be obtained from the layered Ginzburg-Landau model. The layered sine-Gordon model has been proposed in the literature as a candidate field-theoretical model for Josephson-coupled high-T c superconductors, and the implications of our analysis for the applicability of the layered sine-Gordon model to high-T c superconductors are discussed. We are led to the conjecture that the layered sine-Gordon and the layered vortex gas models belong to different universality classes. The determination of the critical temperature of the layered sine-Gordon model is based on a renormalization-group analysis

Oxygen diffusion in cuprate superconductors

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Routbort, J.L.; Rothman, S.J.

1995-01-01

Superconducting properties of the cuprate superconductors depend on the oxygen content of the material; the diffusion of oxygen is thus an important process in the fabrication and application of these materials. This article reviews studies of the diffusion of oxygen in La{sub 2}{sub {minus}}{sub {times}}Sr{sub {times}}CuO{sub 4}, YBa{sub 2}Cu{sub 3}O{sub 7}{sub {minus}}{delta}, YBa{sub 2}Cu{sub 4}O{sub 8}, and the Bi{sub 2}Sr{sub 2}Ca{sub n}{sub {minus}}{sub 1}Cu{sub n}O{sub 2}{sub +}{sub 4} (n = 1, and 2) superconductors, and attempt to elucidate the atomic mechanisms responsible.

Research and Development Annual Report, 1992

Science.gov (United States)

1993-01-01

Issued as a companion to Johnson Space Center's Research and Technology Annual Report, which reports JSC accomplishments under NASA Research and Technology Operating Plan (RTOP) funding, this report describes 42 additional JSC projects that are funded through sources other than the RTOP. Emerging technologies in four major disciplines are summarized: space systems technology, medical and life sciences, mission operations, and computer systems. Although these projects focus on support of human spacecraft design, development, and safety, most have wide civil and commercial applications in areas such as advanced materials, superconductors, advanced semiconductors, digital imaging, high density data storage, high performance computers, optoelectronics, artificial intelligence, robotics and automation, sensors, biotechnology, medical devices and diagnosis, and human factors engineering.

Continuous lengths of oxide superconductors

Science.gov (United States)

Kroeger, Donald M.; List, III, Frederick A.

2000-01-01

A layered oxide superconductor prepared by depositing a superconductor precursor powder on a continuous length of a first substrate ribbon. A continuous length of a second substrate ribbon is overlaid on the first substrate ribbon. Sufficient pressure is applied to form a bound layered superconductor precursor powder between the first substrate ribbon and the second substrate ribbon. The layered superconductor precursor is then heat treated to establish the oxide superconducting phase. The layered oxide superconductor has a smooth interface between the substrate and the oxide superconductor.

Comparative Review on Thin Film Growth of Iron-Based Superconductors

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Yoshinori Imai

2017-07-01

Full Text Available Since the discovery of the novel iron-based superconductors, both theoretical and experimental studies have been performed intensively. Because iron-based superconductors have a smaller anisotropy than high-Tc cuprates and a high superconducting transition temperature, there have been a lot of researchers working on the film fabrication of iron-based superconductors and their application. Accordingly, many novel features have been reported in the films of iron-based superconductors, for example, the fabrication of the epitaxial film with a higher Tc than bulk samples, the extraction of the metastable phase which cannot be obtained by the conventional solid state reaction, and so on. In this paper, we review the progress of research on thin film fabrications of iron-based superconductors, especially the four categories: LnFeAs(O,F (Ln = Lanthanide, AEFe2As2 (AE = Alkaline-earth metal, FeCh (Ch = Chalcogen, and FeSe monolayer. Furthermore, we focus on two important topics in thin films of iron-based superconductors; one is the substrate material for thin film growth on the iron-based superconductors, and the other is the whole phase diagram in FeSe1-xTex which can be obtained only by using film-fabrication technique.

Superfluid response in heavy fermion superconductors

Science.gov (United States)

Zhong, Yin; Zhang, Lan; Shao, Can; Luo, Hong-Gang

2017-10-01

Motivated by a recent London penetration depth measurement [H. Kim, et al., Phys. Rev. Lett. 114, 027003 (2015)] and novel composite pairing scenario [O. Erten, R. Flint, and P. Coleman, Phys. Rev. Lett. 114, 027002 (2015)] of the Yb-doped heavy fermion superconductor CeCoIn5, we revisit the issue of superfluid response in the microscopic heavy fermion lattice model. However, from the literature, an explicit expression for the superfluid response function in heavy fermion superconductors is rare. In this paper, we investigate the superfluid density response function in the celebrated Kondo-Heisenberg model. To be specific, we derive the corresponding formalism from an effective fermionic large- N mean-field pairing Hamiltonian whose pairing interaction is assumed to originate from the effective local antiferromagnetic exchange interaction. Interestingly, we find that the physically correct, temperature-dependent superfluid density formula can only be obtained if the external electromagnetic field is directly coupled to the heavy fermion quasi-particle rather than the bare conduction electron or local moment. Such a unique feature emphasizes the key role of the Kondo-screening-renormalized heavy quasi-particle for low-temperature/energy thermodynamics and transport behaviors. As an important application, the theoretical result is compared to an experimental measurement in heavy fermion superconductors CeCoIn5 and Yb-doped Ce1- x Yb x CoIn5 with fairly good agreement and the transition of the pairing symmetry in the latter material is explained as a simple doping effect. In addition, the requisite formalism for the commonly encountered nonmagnetic impurity and non-local electrodynamic effect are developed. Inspired by the success in explaining classic 115-series heavy fermion superconductors, we expect the present theory will be applied to understand other heavy fermion superconductors such as CeCu2Si2 and more generic multi-band superconductors.

Probing High Temperature Superconductors with Magnetometry in Ultrahigh Magnetic Fields

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Li, Lu [Univ. of Michigan, Ann Arbor, MI (United States)

2017-07-26

The objective of this research is to investigate the high-field magnetic properties of high temperature superconductors, materials that conduct electricity without loss. A technique known as high-resolution torque magnetometry that was developed to directly measure the magnetization of high temperature superconductors. This technique was implemented using the 65 Tesla pulsed magnetic field facility that is part of the National High Magnetic Field Laboratory at Los Alamos National Laboratory. This research addressed unanswered questions about the interplay between magnetism and superconductivity, determine the electronic structure of high temperature superconductors, and shed light on the mechanism of high temperature superconductivity and on potential applications of these materials in areas such as energy generation and power transmission. Further applications of the technology resolve the novel physical phenomena such as correlated topological insulators, and spin liquid state in quantum magnets.

On the applicability of the critical state model to the description of electromagnetic properties of high-Tc superconductors

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Fisher, L.M.; Il' in, N.V.; Voloshin, I.F. (All-Russian Electrical Engineering Inst., Moscow (Russia)); Makarov, N.M.; Yampol' skii, V.A. (Inst. for Radiophysics and Electronics, Ukr. Acad. Sci., Karkov (Ukraine)); Perez Rodriguez, F. (Inst. de Fisica, Univ. Autonoma de Puebla, Rue (Mexico)); Snyder, R.L. (New York State Coll. of Ceramics, Alfred Univ. (United States))

1993-02-20

The frequency dependence of the surface impedance of superconductors have been studied experimentally and theoretically in the radio frequency range. Its essential deviation was found from the linear law predicted by the usual critical state model. The character of this deviation depends qualitatively on the amplitude of the radio wave. We have established the frequency limits of applicability of the traditional critical state model. Results obtained print out an explanation in the frame of the modified model where we take into account the contribution of a dissipative term to the screening current. The value of this is connected with the V-I plot of the superconductor, so it is possible to obtain information about the V-I characteristics by the contactless method. (orig.).

Prospects for utilization of superconductors in the power industry

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Chernolepkov, N.A.

1993-01-01

Utilization of superconducting technology is greatly influenced by the discovery of the so-called high-temperature superconductors (HTS). The present report considers to what extent there is a need for HTS in up-to-date engineering and how much they are prepared for practical applications. The work on the practical use of superconductors was started about 30 years ago. As a results, two fields of the high-current superconductivity have emerged. The first category is the field in which other alternatives were inconceivable from techno-economic points of view (magnets of thermo-nuclear installations, MHD generators, inductive energy storage systems, etc.). The second category involves areas where superconductors must demonstrate the ability to compete with existing technologies (electrical devices, magnetic separators, etc.). The present overview discusses developments of various low temperature superconducting devices, estimate their potential and evaluates future applications of HTS based on the experience accumulated in the USSR and other countries. (author)

High temperature superconductors

CERN Document Server

Paranthaman, Parans

2010-01-01

This essential reference provides the most comprehensive presentation of the state of the art in the field of high temperature superconductors. This growing field of research and applications is currently being supported by numerous governmental and industrial initiatives in the United States, Asia and Europe to overcome grid energy distribution issues. The technology is particularly intended for densely populated areas. It is now being commercialized for power-delivery devices, such as power transmission lines and cables, motors and generators. Applications in electric utilities include current limiters, long transmission lines and energy-storage devices that will help industries avoid dips in electric power.

Photographing magnetic fields in superconductors

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Harrison, R.B.; Wright, L.S.

Magneto-optic techniques coupled with high-speed photography are being used to study the destruction of superconductivity by a magnetic field. The phenomenon of superconductivity will be introduced with emphasis placed on the properties of type I and type II superconductors in a magnetic field. The Faraday effect and its application to the study of the penetration of magnetic fields into these superconductors will be described; the relative effectiveness of some types of paramagnetic glass will be demonstrated. A number of cinefilms will be shown to illustrate the versatility of the magneto-optic method for observing flux motion and patterns. The analysis of data obtained from a high speed film (10,200 fps) of a flux jump in Nb-Zr will be presented and discussed

Superconductors with excess quasiparticles

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Elesin, V.F.; Kopaev, Y.V.

1981-01-01

This review presents a systematic kinetic theory of nonequilibrium phenomena in superconductors with excess quasiparticles created by electromagnetic or tunnel injection. The energy distributions of excess quasiparticles and of nonequilibrium phonons, dependence of the order parameter on the power and frequency (or intensity) of the electromagnetic field, magnetic properties of nonequilibrium superconductors, I-V curves of superconductor-insulator-superconductor junctions, and other properties are described in detail. The stability of superconducting states far from thermodynamic equilibrium is investigated and it is shown that characteristic instabilities leading to the formation of nonuniform states of a new type or phase transitions of the first kind are inherent to superconductors with excess quasiparticles. The results are compared with experimental data

Critical current enhancement in high Tc superconductors

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Jin, S.; Graebner, J.E.; Tiefel, T.H.

1990-01-01

Progress toward major technological applications of the bulk, high T c superconductors has been hindered by two major barriers, i.e., the Josephson weak-links at grain boundaries and the lack of sufficient intragrain flux pinning. It has been demonstrated that the weak link problem can be overcome by extreme alignment of grains such as in melt-textured-growth (MTG) materials. Modified or improved processing by various laboratories has produced further increased critical currents. However, the insufficient flux pinning seems to limit the critical current density in high fields to about 10 4 --10 5 A/cm 2 at 77K, which is not satisfactory for many applications. In this paper, processing, microstructure, and critical current behavior of the MTG type superconductors are described, and various processing possibilities for flux pinning enhancement are discussed

Hybrid molecule/superconductor assemblies

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

McDevitt, J.T.; Haupt, S.G.; Riley, D.R.; Zhao, J.; Zhou, J.P., Jones, C.

1993-01-01

The fabrication of electronic devices from molecular materials has attracted much attention recently. Schottky diodes, molecular transistors, metal-insulator-semiconductor diodes, MIS field effect transistors and light emitting diodes have all been prepared utilizing such substances. The active elements in these devices have been constructed by depositing the molecular phase onto the surface of a metal, semiconductor or insulating substrate. With the recent discovery of high temperature superconductivity, new opportunities now exist for the study of molecule/superconductor interactions as well as for the construction of novel hybrid molecule/superconductor devices. In this paper, methods for preparing the initial two composite molecule/semiconductor devices will be reported. Consequently, light sensors based on dye-coated superconductor junctions as well as molecular switches fashioned from conductive polymer coated superconductor junctions as well as molecular switches fashioned from conductive polymer coated superconductor microbridges will be discussed. Moreover, molecule/superconductor energy and electron transfer phenomena will be illustrated also for the first time

Creation of the best performance high-$T_{c}$ superconductor based on Cu-1234

CERN Document Server

Ihara, H; Iyo, A; Kito, H; Terada, N; Tokumoto, M; Ishida, K; Sekita, Y; Yamamoto, H; Hayashi, H; Khan, N A; Sundaresan, A; Nie, J; Harashima, E; Ishiura, Y; Tateai, F; Kawamura, M

1999-01-01

The purpose of this project is to create the best performance superconductor on the basis of our original Cu-1234 (CuBa/sub 2/Ca /sub 3/Cu/sub 4/O/sub 12-y/) superconductor. Its best performance superconductor will be realized by the modification of superconducting wave function (MSWF) and application of new preparation techniques of thin films. The MSWF leads to the enhancement of coherence length along the c-axis and transformation from d-wave to (d+is)-wave, and then low superconducting anisotropy. The thin film techniques are APE (amorphous phase epitaxy) method and SAE (self assembling epitaxy) method by using a structure stabilizer such as Tl. The best superconductor with long coherence length, low anisotropy, high T/sub c/, high J/sub c/ and high H/sub irr/ will be realized for wire and Josephson junctions and microwave device application at 77 K. (16 refs).

Two classes of superconductors discovered in our material research: Iron-based high temperature superconductor and electride superconductor

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Hosono, Hideo

2009-01-01

We discovered two new classes of superconductors in the course of material exploration for electronic-active oxides. One is 12CaO . 7Al 2 O 3 crystal in which electrons accomodate in the crystallographic sub-nanometer-sized cavities. This material exhibiting metal-superconductor transition at 0.2 K is the first electride superconductor. The other is iron oxypnicitides with a layered structure. This superconductor is rather different from high T c cuprates in several respects. The high T c is emerged by doping carriers to the metallic parent phases which undergo crystallographic transition (tetra to ortho) and Pauli para to antiferromagnetic transition at ∼150 K. The T c is robust to impurity doping to the Fe sites or is induced by partial substitution of the Fe 2+ sites with Co 2+ or Ni 2+ . This article gives a brief summary of these discoveries and recent advances.

Stationary Josephson effect in a weak-link between nonunitary triplet superconductors

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Rashedi, G; Kolesnichenko, Yu.A.

2005-01-01

A stationary Josephson effect in a weak-link between misorientated nonunitary triplet superconductors is investigated theoretically. The non-self-consistent quasiclassical Eilenberger equation for this system has been solved analytically. As an application of this analytical calculation, the current-phase diagrams are plotted for the junction between two nonunitary bipolar f-wave superconducting banks. A spontaneous current parallel to the interface between superconductors has been observed. Also, the effect of misorientation between crystals on the Josephson and spontaneous currents is studied. Such experimental investigations of the current-phase diagrams can be used to test the pairing symmetry in the above-mentioned superconductors

Strong nonequilibrium coherent states in mesoscopic superconductor-semiconductor-superconductor junctions

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Kutchinsky, Jonatan; Wildt, Morten; Taboryski, Rafael Jozef

1999-01-01

A biased superconductor-normal metal-superconductor junction is known to be a strong nonequilibrium system, where Andreev scattering at the interfaces creates a quasiparticle distribution function far from equilibrium, a manifestation of this is the well-known subgap structure in the I...

Topological insulators/superconductors: Potential future electronic materials

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Hor, Y. S.

2014-01-01

A new material called topological insulator has been discovered and becomes one of the fastest growing field in condensed matter physics. Topological insulator is a new quantum phase of matter which has Dirac-like conductivity on its surface, but bulk insulator through its interior. It is considered a challenging problem for the surface transport measurements because of dominant internal conductance due to imperfections of the existing crystals of topological insulators. By a proper method, the internal bulk conduction can be suppressed in a topological insulator, and permit the detection of the surface currents which is necessary for future fault-tolerant quantum computing applications. Doped topological insulators have depicted a large variety of bulk physical properties ranging from magnetic to superconducting behaviors. By chemical doping, a TI can change into a bulk superconductor. Nb x Bi 2 Se 3 is shown to be a superconductor with T c ∼ 3.2 K, which could be a potential candidate for a topological superconductor

Processing of bulk Bi-2223 high-temperature superconductor

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Alexander Polasek

2005-12-01

Full Text Available The Bi2Sr2Ca2Cu3 O10+x (Bi-2223 is one of the main high temperature superconductors for applications. One of these applications is the Superconductor Fault Current Limiter (SCFCL, which is a very promising high temperature superconducting device. SCFCL's can be improved by using bulk superconductors with high critical currents, which requires a sufficiently dense and textured material. In the present work, a process for improving the microstructure of Bi-2223 bulk samples is investigated. Pressed precursor blocks are processed by sintering with a further partial melting step, in order to enhance the Bi-2223 grain texture and to healing cracks induced by pressing. In order to improve the microstructure, the precursor is mixed with silver powder before pressing. Samples with and without silver powder have been studied, with the aim of investigating the influence of silver on the microstructure evolution. The phase contents and the microstructure obtained have been analyzed through XRD and SEM/EDS. The electromagnetic characterization has been performed by Magnetic Susceptibility Analysis. We present and discuss the process and the properties of the superconducting blocks. High fractions of textured Bi-2223 grains have been obtained.

Interaction between light and superconductors

Science.gov (United States)

Gilabert, Alain

In the first part of this review article we resume briefly the fundamental aspect of the photon-superconductor interaction. The emphase is focused on the characteristic times and on the phenomenological models (the T*, the μ* models and the model of the kinetics equations) describing the out of equilibrium superconductivity. The experiments made on classical illuminated superconductors especially on tunnel junctions are then reported. In the second part we present the applied aspect of the photon-superconductor interaction. The interaction of the light with the high Tc superconductors is reviewed in the last part. Dans la première partie de cet article de revue, on résume brièvement 1'aspect fondamental de l'action des photons sur les supraconducteurs en s'attachant surtout à rappeler les différents temps caractéristiques de cette interaction et les modèles phénoménologiques (le modèle T*, le modèle μ*, le modèle des équations cinétiques) décrivant la supraconductivité hors équilibre. La seconde partie rappelle les expériences réalisées sur les supraconducteurs classiques illuminés et spécialement les jonctions tunnel ainsi que certaines applications de la supraconductivité hors équilibre comme les liens faibles controllables par des moyens optiques. La dernière partie est consacrée aux nouvelles expériences qui démarrent concernant l'action de la lumière sur les supraconducteurs à hautes températures critiques.

Quasiparticle current in superconductor-semiconductor-superconductor junctions

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Tartakovskij, A.V.; Fistul', M.V.

1988-01-01

It is shown that the quasiparticle current in a superconductor-semiconductor-superconductor junction may significantly increase as a result of resonant passage of the quasiparticle along particular trajectories from periodically situated localized centers. A prediction of the theory is that with increasing junction resistance there should be a change from an excessive current to a insufficient current on the current-voltage characteristics (at high voltages). The effect of transparency of the boundaries on resonance tunneling in such junctions is also investigated

Superconductors

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Ekin, J.W.

1983-01-01

This chapter attempts to provide an introductory guide to interpreting handbook data on practical, high-current, superconducting materials, principally for magnet applications. An overview is given of the properties and operational limits of superconductive materials, as well as techniques used to fabricate practical superconducting wires. Topics considered include critical temperature, critical magnetic field, Type I and Type II superconductors, upper critical field values for practical materials, the temperature dependence of critical field and upper critical field, critical current, critical current density values for practical materials, the measurement of critical current, composite fabrication, stability, ac losses, eddy current loss, hysteretic loss, mechanical properties, critical current degradation, and superconducting materals selection and composite design

Coupling spin qubits via superconductors

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Leijnse, Martin; Flensberg, Karsten

2013-01-01

We show how superconductors can be used to couple, initialize, and read out spatially separated spin qubits. When two single-electron quantum dots are tunnel coupled to the same superconductor, the singlet component of the two-electron state partially leaks into the superconductor via crossed...... Andreev reflection. This induces a gate-controlled singlet-triplet splitting which, with an appropriate superconductor geometry, remains large for dot separations within the superconducting coherence length. Furthermore, we show that when two double-dot singlet-triplet qubits are tunnel coupled...... to a superconductor with finite charging energy, crossed Andreev reflection enables a strong two-qubit coupling over distances much larger than the coherence length....

46 CFR 167.15-10 - Application for annual inspection.

Science.gov (United States)

2010-10-01

... NAUTICAL SCHOOL SHIPS Inspections § 167.15-10 Application for annual inspection. Application in writing for the annual inspection of every nautical school ship required to be inspected by law and the... Inspection, at any local Marine Inspection Office, U.S. Coast Guard, where the nautical school ship may be...

The JSC Research and Development Annual Report 1993

Science.gov (United States)

1994-01-01

Issued as a companion to Johnson Space Center's Research and Technology Annual Report, which reports JSC accomplishments under NASA Research and Technology Operating Plan (RTOP) funding, this report describes 47 additional projects that are funded through sources other than the RTOP. Emerging technologies in four major disciplines are summarized: space systems technology, medical and life sciences, mission operations, and computer systems. Although these projects focus on support of human spacecraft design, development, and safety, most have wide civil and commercial applications in areas such as advanced materials, superconductors, advanced semiconductors, digital imaging, high density data storage, high performance computers, optoelectronics, artificial intelligence, robotics and automation, sensors, biotechnology, medical devices and diagnosis, and human factors engineering.

Theory of Josephson effect in d-wave superconductor/diffusive ferromagnet/d-wave superconductor junctions

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Yokoyama, T.; Tanaka, Y.; Golubov, Alexandre Avraamovitch

2007-01-01

We study Josephson effect in d-wave superconductor/diffusive ferromagnet/d-wave superconductor junctions, changing the exchange field and the angles between the normal to the interfaces and the crystal axes of d-wave superconductors. We find a 0–π transition at a certain value of the exchange field.

QCD as a dual superconductor

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Zachariasen, F.

1986-01-01

The author describes the construction of an effective action describing long-range Yang-Mills theory. This action is motivated by a study of the system of Dyson equations and Ward identities, but cannot (yet) be derived from the underlying quantum theory. The effective action turns out to describe a medium very much like a dual relativistic superconductor; that is, with electric and magnetic fields interchanged. There is a dual Meissner effect, which serves to compress color electric fields into flux tubes, containing quantized units of color electric flux. This produces electric confinement. There is a magnetic condensate, resulting from a spontaneous symmetry breaking analogous to that in the relativistic superconductor, as in the Abelian Higgs model. He gives the motivation leading to the effective action, and describes the quantized electric flux tube solutions. Finally, he mentions briefly some other applications

Antiferromagnetism and its origin in iron-based superconductors (Review Article)

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Ding, Ming-Cui; Zhang, Yu-Zhong; Lin, Hai-Qing

2014-01-01

In iron-based superconductors, unravelling the origin of the antiferromagnetism is a crucial step towards understanding the high-T c superconductivity as it is widely believed that the magnetic fluctuations play important roles in the formation of the Cooper pairs. Therefore, in this paper, we will briefly review experimental results related to the antiferromagnetic state in iron-based superconductors and focus on a review of the theoretical investigations which show applicability of the itinerant scenario to the observed antiferromagnetism and corresponding phase transitions in various families of the iron-based superconductors. A proposal of coupling between frustrated and un frustrated bands for understanding the reduced magnetic moment typically observed in iron pnictides is also reviewed. While all the above theoretical investigations do not rule out a possible existence of localized electrons in iron-based superconductors, these results strongly indicate a close relation between itinerant electrons and the magnetically ordered state and point out the importance of taking into account the orbital degrees of freedom.

Integration of semiconductor and ceramic superconductor devices for microwave applications

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Klopman, B.B.G.; Klopman, B.B.G.; Wijers, H.W.; Gao, J.; Gao, J.; Gerritsma, G.J.; Rogalla, Horst

1991-01-01

Due to the very-low-loss properties of ceramic superconductors, high-performance microwave resonators and filters can be realized. The fact that these devices may be operated at liquid nitrogen temperature facilitates integration with semiconductor devices. Examples are bandpass amplifiers,

Ivar Giaever, Tunneling, and Superconductors

Science.gov (United States)

dropdown arrow Site Map A-Z Index Menu Synopsis Ivar Giaever, Tunneling, and Superconductors Resources with in Superconductors Measured by Electron Tunneling; Physical Review Letters, Vol. 5 Issue 4: 147 - 148 ; August 15, 1960 Electron Tunneling Between Two Superconductors; Physical Review Letters, Vol. 5 Issue 10

Oxide superconductors

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Cava, R.J.

2000-01-01

This article briefly reviews ceramic superconductors from historical and materials perspectives. It describes the factors that distinguish high-temperature cuprate superconductors from most electronic ceramics and places them in the context of other families of superconducting materials. Finally, it describes some of the scientific issues presently being actively pursued in the search for the mechanism for high-temperature superconductivity and the directions of research into new superconducting ceramics in recent years

Development of fabrication technique of bulk high superconductor

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Hong, Gye Won; Kim, Chang Joong; Kim, Ki Baik; Lee, Ho Jin; Lee, Hee Gyoun; Kwon, Sun Chil.

1997-05-01

In order to realize the commercial application of HTSC materials, it is necessary to develop the fabrication process of high Tc oxide superconductor materials with desired shape and for practical application and high critical current density as well as good mechanical strength which critical current density as well as good mechanical strength which can withstand high lorenz force generated at high magnetic field. Much studies have been concentrated to develop the fabrication technique for high critical current density but still there are a lot of gap which should be overcome for large scale application of HTSC materials at liquid nitrogen temperature. Recently some new fabrication techniques have been developed for YBCO bulk superconductor with high mechanical strength and critical current density. In this project, plastic extrusion and melt process techniques were studied. The components materials for the current lead and the flywheel application were fabricated and their characteristics were investigated from the view point of microstructure and phase formation during heat treatment process. (author). 64 refs., 59 figs

Pressure effect on iron based superconductors

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Arumugam, S.; Kanagaraj, M.

2011-01-01

A tuning of macroscopic thermo dynamical parameters such as temperature, pressure and volume play a crucial role in strongly correlated electron systems especially high T c superconductors, which leads to increasing conductivity as well as effective way of reducing intrinsic magnetic moments. Application of chemical and external pressure exhibits significant increases of critical temperature of recently discovered iron pnictides and chalcogenides superconductors. In this present report, we have investigated hydrostatic pressure effects on resistivity and magnetization of some 1111 type based oxypnictide superconductors such as Co doped CeFeAsO, La 0.8 Th 0.2 FeAsO, Ce 0.6 Y 0.4 FeAsO 0.8 F 0.2 and Yb doped CeFeAsO systems respectively. The initially applied pressure increases the T c and its down to lower value when beyond increasing pressure also has been observed and pressure effects on crystal structure were also discussed. From that all the obtained results reveal that controlling of magnetic instability and structure distortion at higher pressure is a dominant way to further developing of T c of these new ferropnictides compounds. (author)

The evidence of unconventional pairing in heavy fermion superconductors and high-Tc superconductors

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Tien, C.; Wur, C.S.; Jiang, I.M.

1989-01-01

Recently there has been a great deal of interest in two classes of superconductors, heavy fermion superconductors and high T c copper oxide superconductors. The behavior and nature of superconductivity in these two classes of materials are very similar. The temperature dependences of spin-lattice relaxation time (T 1 ) and spin-spin relaxation time (T 2 ) of 9 Be in UBe 13 are quite similar to those of 63 Cu and 89 Y in YBa 2 Cu 3 O 7-δ . The Knight shift of UBe 13 is unchanged during the superconducting phase transition. The Knight shift of YBa 2 Cu 3 O 7-δ changes from the value in the normal state K n /K s = 1 at T ≥ T c to K n /K s = 0.5 at T = 6 K. Both do not approach zero as expected in BCS theory. The acoustic attenuation is enhanced just below T c instead of rapid drop near T c for these two superconducting system. Neither the enhancement, the temperature variation, nor any other anomalous behaviors appear to be mirrored in EPR data for heavy Fermion superconductors and high T c superconductors. This strongly suggests that the unconventional pairing mechanism which induces superconductivity in heavy fermion materials might also involve in high T c superconductors

Signature of electron-phonon interaction in high temperature superconductors

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Vinod Ashokan

2011-09-01

Full Text Available The theory of thermal conductivity of high temperature superconductors (HTS based on electron and phonon line width (life times formulation is developed with Quantum dynamical approach of Green's function. The frequency line width is observed as an extremely sensitive quantity in the transport phenomena of HTS as a collection of large number of scattering processes. The role of resonance scattering and electron-phonon interaction processes is found to be most prominent near critical temperature. The theory successfully explains the spectacular behaviour of high Tc superconductors in the vicinity of transition temperature. A successful agreement between theory and experiment has been obtained by analyzing the thermal conductivity data for the sample La1.8Sr0.2CuO4 in the temperature range 0 − 200K. The theory is equally and successfully applicable to all other high Tc superconductors.

TECHNICAL TRAINING SEMINAR: High Temperature Superconductors: Progress and Issues

CERN Multimedia

Davide Vitè

2002-01-01

Monday 24 June from 14:30 to 15:30 - Training Centre Auditorium - bldg. 593-11 High Temperature Superconductors: Progress and Issues Prof. Jan Evetts / UNIVERSITY OF CAMBRIDGE, Department of Materials Science and Metallurgy, UK Grappling with grain boundaries: Current transport processes in granular High Temperature Superconductors (HTS) The development of High Temperature Superconductors, seen from a materials scientist's point of view, is relevant to the superconductivity community at CERN: their possible high current applications can include high performance magnets for future accelerators. There is an urgent need to develop a quantitative description of HTS conductors in terms of their complex anisotropy, inhomogeneity and dimensionality. This is essential both for the practical specification of a conductor and for charting routes to conductor optimisation. The critical current, the n-value, dissipation and quenching characteristics are amongst most important parameters that make up an engineering specifi...

Ginzburg-Landau equations for a d-wave superconductor with applications to vortex structure and surface problems

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Xu, J.; Ren, Y.; Ting, C.S.

1995-01-01

The properties of a d x 2 -y 2 -wave superconductor in an external magnetic field are investigated on the basis of Gorkov's theory of weakly coupled superconductors. The Ginzburg-Landau (GL) equations, which govern the spatial variations of the order parameter and the supercurrent, are microscopically derived. The single vortex structure and surface problems in such a superconductor are studied using these equations. It is shown that the d-wave vortex structure is very different from the conventional s-wave vortex: the s-wave and d-wave components, with the opposite winding numbers, are found to coexist in the region near the vortex core. The supercurrent and local magnetic field around the vortex are calculated. Far away from the vortex core, both of them exhibit a fourfold symmetry, in contrast to an s-wave superconductor. The surface problem in a d-wave superconductor is also studied by solving the GL equations. The total order parameter near the surface is always a real combination of s- and d-wave components, which means that the proximity effect cannot induce a time-reversal symmetry-breaking state at the surface

Common phase diagram for low-dimensional superconductors

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Michalak, Rudi

2003-01-01

A phenomenological phase diagram which has been derived for high-temperature superconductors from NMR Knight-shift measurements of the pseudogap is compared to the phase diagram that is obtained for organic superconductors and spin-ladder superconductors, both low-dimensional systems. This is contrasted to the phase diagram of some Heavy Fermion superconductors, i.e. superconductors not constrained to a low dimensionality

Fine uniform filament superconductors

Science.gov (United States)

Riley, Jr., Gilbert N.; Li, Qi; Roberts, Peter R.; Antaya, Peter D.; Seuntjens, Jeffrey M.; Hancock, Steven; DeMoranville, Kenneth L.; Christopherson, Craig J.; Garrant, Jennifer H.; Craven, Christopher A.

2002-01-01

A multifilamentary superconductor composite having a high fill factor is formed from a plurality of stacked monofilament precursor elements, each of which includes a low density superconductor precursor monofilament. The precursor elements all have substantially the same dimensions and characteristics, and are stacked in a rectilinear configuration and consolidated to provide a multifilamentary precursor composite. The composite is thereafter thermomechanically processed to provide a superconductor composite in which each monofilament is less than about 50 microns thick.

Two-band superconductor magnesium diboride

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Xi, X X

2008-01-01

This review focuses on the most important features of the 40 K superconductor MgB 2 -the weakly interacting multiple bands (the σ and π bands) and the distinct multiple superconducting energy gaps (the σ and π gaps). Even though the pairing mechanism of superconductor MgB 2 is the conventional electron-phonon coupling, the prominent influence of the two bands and two gaps on its properties sets it apart from other superconductors. It leads to markedly different behaviors in upper critical field, vortex structure, magnetoresistance and many other superconducting and normal-state properties in MgB 2 from single-band superconductors. Further, it gives rise to new physics that does not exist in single-band superconductors, such as the internal Josephson effects between the two order parameters. These unique phenomena depend sensitively on scattering inside and between the two bands, and the intraband and interband scattering can be modified by chemical substitution and irradiation. MgB 2 has brought unprecedented attention to two-band superconductivity, which has been found to exist in other old and new superconductors. The legacy of MgB 2 will be long lasting because of this, as well as the lessons it teaches in terms of the search for new phonon-mediated higher T c superconductors

Electrical bushing for a superconductor element

Science.gov (United States)

Mirebeau, Pierre; Lallouet, Nicolas; Delplace, Sebastien; Lapierre, Regis

2010-05-04

The invention relates to an electrical bushing serving to make a connection at ambient temperature to a superconductor element situated in an enclosure at cryogenic temperature. The electrical bushing passes successively through an enclosure at intermediate temperature between ambient temperature and cryogenic temperature, and an enclosure at ambient temperature, and it comprises a central electrical conductor surrounded by an electrically insulating sheath. According to the invention, an electrically conductive screen connected to ground potential surrounds the insulating sheath over a section that extends from the end of the bushing that is in contact with the enclosure at cryogenic temperature at least as far as the junction between the enclosure at intermediate temperature and the enclosure at ambient temperature. The invention is more particularly applicable to making a connection to a superconductor cable.

Granular Superconductors and Gravity

Science.gov (United States)

Noever, David; Koczor, Ron

1999-01-01

As a Bose condensate, superconductors provide novel conditions for revisiting previously proposed couplings between electromagnetism and gravity. Strong variations in Cooper pair density, large conductivity and low magnetic permeability define superconductive and degenerate condensates without the traditional density limits imposed by the Fermi energy (approx. 10(exp -6) g cu cm). Recent experiments have reported anomalous weight loss for a test mass suspended above a rotating Type II, YBCO superconductor, with a relatively high percentage change (0.05-2.1%) independent of the test mass' chemical composition and diamagnetic properties. A variation of 5 parts per 104 was reported above a stationary (non-rotating) superconductor. In experiments using a sensitive gravimeter, bulk YBCO superconductors were stably levitated in a DC magnetic field and exposed without levitation to low-field strength AC magnetic fields. Changes in observed gravity signals were measured to be less than 2 parts in 108 of the normal gravitational acceleration. Given the high sensitivity of the test, future work will examine variants on the basic magnetic behavior of granular superconductors, with particular focus on quantifying their proposed importance to gravity.

High T(c) superconductors: Technical and commercial challenge

Science.gov (United States)

Kirschner, I.; Horvath, E.; Vajda, I.; Bencze, L.; Goebl, N.

1995-01-01

Some basic questions of the way which leads from the discovery of high-T(c) superconductors to their applications is surveyed. The influence of high-T(c) superconducting technology on the industrial and social development is also briefly analyzed.

Temperature dependence of the upper critical field of type II superconductors with fluctuation effects

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Mikitik, G.P.

1992-01-01

Fluctuations of the order parameter are taken into consideration in an analysis of the temperature dependence of the upper critical field of a type II superconductor with a three-dimensional superconductivity. This temperature dependence is of universal applicability, to all type II superconductors, if the magnetic fields and temperatures are expressed in appropriate units. This dependence is derived explicitly for the regions of strong and weak magnetic fields. The results are applied to high T c superconductors, for which fluctuation effects are important. For these superconductors, the H c2 (T) dependence is quite different from the linear dependence characteristic of the mean-field theory, over a broad range of magnetic fields

Transmission formalism for supercurrent flow in multiprobe superconductor-semiconductor-superconductor devices

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

van Wees, B.J.; Lenssen, K.H.; Harmans, C.J.P.M.

1991-01-01

A theoretical study is given of supercurrent flow in a one-dimensional semiconductor channel coupled to superconductors at both ends. In addition, the channel is coupled to a semiconductor reservoir by means of a junction with variable coupling strength var-epsilon. The supercurrent I(cphi) is calculated from the phase-coherent propagation of electronlike and holelike excitations emitted by the superconductor reservoirs, together with electron and hole excitations from the semiconductor reservoir. The effect of temperature and var-epsilon on I(cphi) is studied. It is shown that a voltage applied between the semiconductor reservoir and the superconductors modifies the I(cphi) relation, even in the limit var-epsilon →0

New superconductors from granular to high T$_{c}$

CERN Document Server

Deutscher, Guy

2018-01-01

How new are the high Tc superconductors, as compared to the conventional low Tc ones? In what sense are these oxides different from regular metals in their normal state? How different is the mechanism for high Tc superconductivity from the well-known electron-phonon interaction that explains so well superconductivity in metals and alloys? What are the implications of the new features of the high Tc oxides for their practical applications? This interesting book aims to provide some answers to those questions, drawing particularly on similarities between the high Tc oxides and granular superconductors, which also present a short coherence length, a small superfluid density and an inhomogeneous structure.

New superconductors from granular to high T$_{c}$

CERN Document Server

Deutscher, Guy

2006-01-01

How new are the high Tc superconductors, as compared to the conventional low Tc ones? In what sense are these oxides different from regular metals in their normal state? How different is the mechanism for high Tc superconductivity from the well-known electron-phonon interaction that explains so well superconductivity in metals and alloys? What are the implications of the new features of the high Tc oxides for their practical applications? This book aims to give some answers to those questions, drawing particularly on similarities between the high Tc oxides and granular superconductors, which also present a maximum of their critical temperature near the metal-insulator transition.

Practical superconductor development for electrical power applications. Quarterly report for the period ending March 31, 2000

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

2000-01-01

This is a multiyear experimental research program focused on improving relevant material properties of high-T c superconductors (HTSs) and on development of fabrication methods that can be transferred to industry for production of commercial conductors. The development of teaming relationships through agreements with industrial partners is a key element of the Argonne program. Recent results are presented on YBa 2 Cu 3 O x (Y-123) coated conductors, sheathed (Bi,Pb) 2 Sr 2 Ca 2 Cu 3 O x (Bi-2223) tapes, and applications development

Technique of Critical Current Density Measurement of Bulk Superconductor with Linear Extrapolation Method

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Adi, Wisnu Ari; Sukirman, Engkir; Winatapura, Didin S.

2000-01-01

Technique of critical current density measurement (Jc) of HTc bulk ceramic superconductor has been performed by using linear extrapolation with four-point probes method. The measurement of critical current density HTc bulk ceramic superconductor usually causes damage in contact resistance. In order to decrease this damage factor, we introduce extrapolation method. The extrapolating data show that the critical current density Jc for YBCO (123) and BSCCO (2212) at 77 K are 10,85(6) Amp.cm - 2 and 14,46(6) Amp.cm - 2, respectively. This technique is easier, simpler, and the use of the current flow is low, so it will not damage the contact resistance of the sample. We expect that the method can give a better solution for bulk superconductor application. Key words. : superconductor, critical temperature, and critical current density

A superconductor electromechanical oscillator and its potential application in energy storage

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Schilling, Osvaldo F

2004-01-01

We discuss theoretically the properties of an electromechanical oscillating system whose operation is based upon the cyclic conservative conversion between gravitational potential, kinetic and magnetic energies. The system consists of a superconducting coil subjected to a constant external force and to magnetic fields. The coil oscillates and has induced in it a rectified electrical current whose magnitude may reach hundreds of amperes. The design differs from that of most conventional superconductor machines since the motion is linear (and practically unnoticeable depending on frequency) rather than rotatory and it does not involve high speeds. Furthermore, there is no need for an external electrical power source to start up the system. We also show that the losses for such a system can be made extremely small for certain operational conditions, so that by reaching and keeping resonance the system's main application should be in the generation and storage of electromagnetic energy. (rapid communication)

Friction in levitated superconductors

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Brandt, E.H.

1988-01-01

A type I superconductor levitated above a magnet of low symmetry has a unique equilibrium position about which it may oscillate freely. In contrast, a type II superconductor has a continuous range of stable equilibrium positions and orientations where it floats rigidly without swinging or orbiting as if it were stuck in sand. A strong internal friction conspicuously indicates the existence and unpinning of flux lines in oxide superconductors levitated above liquid nitrogen. It is shown how these effects follow from the hysteretic magnetization curves and how the energy is dissipated

Superconductor-semiconductor-superconductor planar junctions of aluminium on DELTA-doped gallium arsenide

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Taboryski, Rafael Jozef; Clausen, Thomas; Kutchinsky, jonatan

1997-01-01

We have fabricated and characterized planar superconductor-semiconductor-superconductor (S-Sm-S) junctions with a high quality (i.e. low barrier) interface between an n++ modulation doped conduction layer in MBE grown GaAs and in situ deposited Al electrodes. The Schottky barrier at the S...

Superconductor stability 90: A review

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Dresner, L.

1990-01-01

This paper reviews some recent developments in the field of stability of superconductors. The main topics dealt with are hydrodynamic phenomena in cable-in-conduit superconductors, namely, multiple stability, quench pressure, thermal expulsion, and thermal hydraulic quenchback, traveling normal zones in large, composite conductors, such as those intended for SMES, and the stability of vapor-cooled leads made of high-temperature superconductors. 31 refs., 5 figs

Development of high temperature superconductors for magnetic field applications

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Larbalestier, D.C.

1991-01-01

The key requirement for magnetic field applications of high temperature superconductor (HTS) materials is to have conductors with high transport critical current density available for magnet builders. After 3 or 4 years of being without any such object, conductor makers have had recent success in producing simple conductor prototypes. These have permitted the construction of simple HTS magnets having self fields exceeding 1 tesla at 4K. Thus the scientific feasibility of making powerful HTS magnets has been demonstrated. Attention to the technological aspects of making HTS conductors for magnets with strong flux pinning and reduced superconducting granularity is now sensible and attractive. However, extrinsic defects such as filament sausaging, cracking, misaligned grains and other perturbations to long range current flow must be controlled at a low level if the benefit of intrinsic improvements to the critical current density is to be maintained in the conductor form. Due to the great complexity of HTS materials, there is sometimes confusion as to whether a given sample has an intrinsically or extrinsically limited critical current density. Systematic microstructure variation experiments and resistive transition analysis are shown to be particularly helpful in this phase of conductor development

Quasiclassical description of multi-band superconductors with two order parameters

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Moor, Andreas

2014-05-19

This Thesis deals with multi-band superconductors with two order parameters, i.e., the superconductivity and the spin-density wave, also touching on one-band superconductors with a charge-density wave, as well as with only the superconducting order parameter. Quasiclassical description of suchlike structures is developed and applied to investigation of various effects, inter alia, the Josephson and the proximity effects, the Knight shift, the Larkin-Ovchinnikov-Fulde-Ferrell-like state, and the interplay of the order parameters in coexistence regime. The applicability of the developed approach to pnictides is discussed.

Pinning and creep in superconductors

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Ovchinnikov, Yu.N.

1994-01-01

All superconductors can be separated into two large groups: type I and type II. The behaviour of these two groups in a magnetic field is quite different. The superconductors of type I, in a strong magnetic field, enter the intermediate state. Phenomenological picture of this state was given by Landau. The type II superconductors, in strong magnetic fields, form the mixed state (or Shubnikov phase). The microscopic picture of the mixed state was given by Abrikosov on the basis of Ginzburg-Landau equations. In ideal homogeneous superconductors the free energy is not changed if all the vortex structure is shifted on some distance u. The transport current will be proportional, therefore, to the electric field E. All the real superconductors, however, are inhomogeneous. Inhomogeneities interact with vortex lattice and pin it. In this new state the transport current below some critical value does not lead to the motion of the flux lattice and to the energy dissipation. The value of critical current strongly depends on the type of inhomogeneities, on the value of magnetic field and on temperature. In new layered superconductors, the critical current depends also on the orientation of the magnetic field B with respect to the layer planes. Temperature and quantum fluctuations lead to the transition between different metastable states in superconductors with current. As a result, the vortex lattice slowly moves (creep phenomenon). Below we will briefly discuss all these phenomena. (orig.)

Electrodynamics of spin currents in superconductors

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Hirsch, J.E.

2008-01-01

In recent work we formulated a new set of electrodynamic equations for superconductors as an alternative to the conventional London equations, compatible with the prediction of the theory of hole superconductivity that superconductors expel negative charge from the interior towards the surface. Charge expulsion results in a macroscopically inhomogeneous charge distribution and an electric field in the interior, and because of this a spin current is expected to exist. Furthermore, we have recently shown that a dynamical explanation of the Meissner effect in superconductors leads to the prediction that a spontaneous spin current exists near the surface of superconductors (spin Meissner effect). In this paper we extend the electrodynamic equations proposed earlier for the charge density and charge current to describe also the space and time dependence of the spin density and spin current. This allows us to determine the magnitude of the expelled negative charge and interior electric field as well as of the spin current in terms of other measurable properties of superconductors. We also provide a 'geometric' interpretation of the difference between type I and type II superconductors, discuss how superconductors manage to conserve angular momentum, discuss the relationship between our model and Slater's seminal work on superconductivity, and discuss the magnitude of the expected novel effects for elemental and other superconductors. (Abstract Copyright [2008], Wiley Periodicals, Inc.)

Materials process and applications of single grain (RE)-Ba-Cu-O bulk high-temperature superconductors

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Li Beizhan; Zhou Difan; Xu Kun; Hara, Shogo; Tsuzuki, Keita; Miki, Motohiro; Felder, Brice; Deng Zigang [Laboratory of Applied Physics, Department of Marine Electronics and Mechanical Engineering, Tokyo University of Marine Science and Technology (TUMSAT), 2-1-6, Etchu-jima, Koto-ku, Tokyo 135-8533 (Japan); Izumi, Mitsuru, E-mail: izumi@kaiyodai.ac.jp [Laboratory of Applied Physics, Department of Marine Electronics and Mechanical Engineering, Tokyo University of Marine Science and Technology (TUMSAT), 2-1-6, Etchu-jima, Koto-ku, Tokyo 135-8533 (Japan)

2012-11-20

This paper reviews recent advances in the melt process of (RE)-Ba-Cu-O [(RE)BCO, where RE represents a rare earth element] single grain high-temperature superconductors (HTSs), bulks and its applications. The efforts on the improvement of the magnetic flux pinning with employing the top-seeded melt-growth process technique and using a seeded infiltration and growth process are discussed. Which including various chemical doping strategies and controlled pushing effect based on the peritectic reaction of (RE)BCO. The typical experiment results, such as the largest single domain bulk, the clear TEM observations and the significant critical current density, are summarized together with the magnetization techniques. Finally, we highlight the recent prominent progress of HTS bulk applications, including Maglev, flywheel, power device, magnetic drug delivery system and magnetic resonance devices.

Materials process and applications of single grain (RE)-Ba-Cu-O bulk high-temperature superconductors

Science.gov (United States)

Li, Beizhan; Zhou, Difan; Xu, Kun; Hara, Shogo; Tsuzuki, Keita; Miki, Motohiro; Felder, Brice; Deng, Zigang; Izumi, Mitsuru

2012-11-01

This paper reviews recent advances in the melt process of (RE)-Ba-Cu-O [(RE)BCO, where RE represents a rare earth element] single grain high-temperature superconductors (HTSs), bulks and its applications. The efforts on the improvement of the magnetic flux pinning with employing the top-seeded melt-growth process technique and using a seeded infiltration and growth process are discussed. Which including various chemical doping strategies and controlled pushing effect based on the peritectic reaction of (RE)BCO. The typical experiment results, such as the largest single domain bulk, the clear TEM observations and the significant critical current density, are summarized together with the magnetization techniques. Finally, we highlight the recent prominent progress of HTS bulk applications, including Maglev, flywheel, power device, magnetic drug delivery system and magnetic resonance devices.

Kohn anomalies in superconductors

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Flatte, M.E.

1994-01-01

The detailed behavior of phonon dispersion curves near momenta which span the electronic Fermi sea in a superconductor is presented. An anomaly, similar to the metallic Kohn anomaly, exists in a superconductor's dispersion curves when the frequency of the photon spanning the Fermi sea exceeds twice the superconducting energy gap. This anomaly occurs at approximately the same momentum but is stronger than the normal-state Kohn anomaly. It also survives at finite temperature, unlike the metallic anomaly. Determination of Fermi-surface diameters from the location of these anomalies, therefore, may be more successful in the superconducting phase than in the normal state. However, the superconductor's anomaly fades rapidly with increased phonon frequency and becomes unobservable when the phonon frequency greatly exceeds the gap. This constraint makes these anomalies useful only in high-temperature superconductors such as La 1.85 Sr 0.15 CuO 4

Processing of Mixed Oxide Superconductors

Science.gov (United States)

1990-07-01

rapid changes world wide a major research centre on high Tc superconductors was awarded to Cambridge which involved moving the work and people to a...reports and paper is in the appendices. Separation Ceramic superconductors tend to be mixtures of phases, especially when first discovered. It would...properties of the superconducting state will in principle allow superconducting material to be levitated from the non superconductor and several designs

Coherent and correlated spin transport in nanoscale superconductors

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Morten, Jan Petter

2008-03-15

Motivated by the desire for better understanding of nano electronic systems, we theoretically study the conductance and noise characteristics of current flow between superconductors, ferromagnets, and normal-metals. Such nano structures can reveal information about superconductor proximity effects, spin-relaxation processes, and spintronic effects with potential applications for different areas of mesoscopic physics. We employ the quasiclassical theory of superconductivity in the Keldysh formalism, and calculate the nonequilibrium transport of spin and charge using various approaches like the circuit theory of quantum transport and full counting statistics. For two of the studied structures, we have been able to compare our theory to experimental data and obtain good agreement. Transport and relaxation of spin polarized current in superconductors is governed by energy-dependent transport coefficients and spin-flip rates which are determined by quantum interference effects. We calculate the resulting temperature-dependent spin flow in ferromagnet-superconductor devices. Experimental data for spin accumulation and spin relaxation in a superconducting nano wire is in agreement with the theory, and allows for a spin-flip spectroscopy that determines the dominant mechanism for spin-flip relaxation in the studied samples. A ferromagnet precessing under resonance conditions can give rise to pure spin current injection into superconductors. We find that the absorbed spin current is measurable as a temperature dependent Gilbert damping, which we calculate and compare to experimental data. Crossed Andreev reflection denotes superconducting pairing of electrons flowing from different normal-metal or ferromagnet terminals into a superconductor. We calculate the nonlocal currents resulting from this process in competition with direct electron transport between the normal-metal terminals. We take dephasing into account, and study the nonlocal current when the types of contact in

Processing of high-temperature superconductors at high strain rates

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Mamalis, A.G.; Pantazsopoulos, G.; Manolakos, D.E.; Szalay, A.

2000-01-01

This new book provides, for the first time, a systematic, unified presentation of all steps in the processing of high-temperature superconductor materials, ranging from synthesis of various systems to fabrication and industrial applications. Also covered are characterization techniques and current directions in research and development. The authors are leading specialists who bring to this new book their many years of experience in research, education and industrial engineering work in superconductor materials. This book is primarily focused on the bulk-fabrication techniques of high-temperature ceramic superconducting components, especially on the combination of dynamic powder-consolidation and subsequent deformation processing. The properties of these ceramics, which are difficult-to-form materials by applying conventional techniques, are combined for the net-shape manufacturing of such components for the construction of HTS deviceshor e llipsis. However, very important topics such as superconducting structures, chemical synthesis, film fabrication and characterization techniques are also reviewedhor e llipsis to provide a complete, comprehensive view of superconductors engineering

An explanation of the irreversibility behavior in the highly- anisotropic high-temperature superconductors

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Gray, K.E.; Kim, D.H.

1991-01-01

The wide temperature range of the reversible, lossy state of the new high-temperature superconductors in a magnetic field was recognized soon after their discovery. This behavior, which had gone virtually undetected in conventional superconductors, has generated considerable interest, both for a fundamental understanding of the HTS and because it degrades the performance of HTS for finite-field applications. We show that recently proposed explanation of this behavior for the highly-anisotropic high-temperature superconductors, as a dimensional crossover of the magnetic vortices, is strongly supported by recent experiments on a Bi 2 Sr 2 CaCu 2 O x single crystal using the high-Q mechanical oscillator techniques

Large area bulk superconductors

Science.gov (United States)

Miller, Dean J.; Field, Michael B.

2002-01-01

A bulk superconductor having a thickness of not less than about 100 microns is carried by a polycrystalline textured substrate having misorientation angles at the surface thereof not greater than about 15.degree.; the bulk superconductor may have a thickness of not less than about 100 microns and a surface area of not less than about 50 cm.sup.2. The textured substrate may have a thickness not less than about 10 microns and misorientation angles at the surface thereof not greater than about 15.degree.. Also disclosed is a process of manufacturing the bulk superconductor and the polycrystalline biaxially textured substrate material.

Studies on advanced superconductors for fusion device. Pt. 2. Metallic superconductors other than Nb{sub 3}Sn

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Tachikawa, K.; Yamamoto, J.; Mito, T. [eds.

1997-03-01

A comprehensive report on the present status of the development of Nb{sub 3}Sn superconductors was published as the NIFS-MEMO-20 in March, 1996 (Part 1 of this report series). The second report of this study covers various progress so far achieved in the research and development on advanced metallic superconductors other than Nb{sub 3}Sn. Among different A15 crystal-type compounds, Nb{sub 3}Al has been fabricated into cables with large current-carrying capacity for fusion device referring its smaller sensitivity to mechanical strain than Nb{sub 3}Sn. Other high-field A15 superconductors, e.g. V{sub 3}Ga, Nb{sub 3}Ge and Nb{sub 3}(Al,Ge), have been also fabricated through different novel processes as promising alternatives to Nb{sub 3}Sn conductors. Meanwhile, B1 crystal-type NbN and C15 crystal-type V{sub 2}(Hf,Zr) high-field superconductors are characterized by their excellent tolerance to mechanical strain and neutron irradiation. Chevrel-type PbMo{sub 6}S{sub 8} compound has gained much interests due to its extremely high upper critical field. In addition, this report includes the recent progress in ultra-fine filamentary NbTi wires for AC use, and that in NbTi/Cu magnetic shields necessary in the application of high magnetic field. The data on the decay of radioactivity in a variety of metals relating to fusion superconducting magnet are also attached as appendices. We hope that this report might contribute substantially as a useful reference for the planning of fusion apparatus of next generation as well as that of other future superconducting devices. (author)

Recent progress in material technology on RE-Ba-Cu-O bulk superconductors

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Teshima, Hidekazu; Morita, Mitsuru

2011-01-01

The current status of large-grained RE-Ba-Cu-O (RE: Y or rare earth elements) bulk superconductors with excellent superconducting properties is described. Gd-Ba-Cu-O bulk superconductors can trap a very high magnetic field even if they are melt-processed in air. Although the electromagnetic force caused by the trapped field is larger for a larger sample and may break the sample, a large sample of Gd-Ba-Cu-O 46 mm in diameter has the potential of trapped magnetic fields greater than 10 T at around 40 K. In addition, single-grained bulk superconductors as large as 150 mm can be obtained using the RE compositional gradient method. Dy-Ba-Cu-O is an ideal material for current leads because it has low thermal conductivity and high critical current density at 77 K in high magnetic fields. Eu-Ba-Cu-O has low magnetic permeability, and is therefore suitable for bulk NMR applications. Progress in machining technology has made possible various bulk superconductors with complicated shapes such as coils, leading to small and strong electromagnets by stacking several coil-shaped bulk superconductors together. (author)

Measuring condensate fraction in superconductors

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Chakravarty, Sudip; Kee, Hae-Young

2000-01-01

An analysis of off-diagonal long-range order in superconductors shows that the spin-spin correlation function is significantly influenced by the order if the order parameter is anisotropic on a microscopic scale. Thus, magnetic neutron scattering can provide a direct measurement of the condensate fraction of a superconductor. It is also argued that recent measurements in high-temperature superconductors come very close to achieving this goal. (c) 2000 The American Physical Society

Passivation Of High-Temperature Superconductors

Science.gov (United States)

Vasquez, Richard P.

1991-01-01

Surfaces of high-temperature superconductors passivated with native iodides, sulfides, or sulfates formed by chemical treatments after superconductors grown. Passivating compounds nearly insoluble in and unreactive with water and protect underlying superconductors from effects of moisture. Layers of cuprous iodide and of barium sulfate grown. Other candidate passivating surface films: iodides and sulfides of bismuth, strontium, and thallium. Other proposed techniques for formation of passivating layers include deposition and gas-phase reaction.

Kinetic equations for clean superconductors: Application to the flux flow hall effect

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Kopnin, N.B.

1994-01-01

The kinetic equations for clean superconductors (l>>ζ) are derived. expanding the equations for the time dependent Green functions in the quasiclassical parameter, the new contributions are found which contain the derivatives of the distribution functions with respect to the quasiparticle momentum. The transition from the ultra-clean case (no relaxation) to a relaxation-dominated behavior, for which the kinetic equations coincide with the usual quasiclassical approximation, occurs for the relaxation time of the order of ℎE F /Δ 2 . The kinetic equations can be used for various dynamic processes in superconductors including the flux-flow Hall effect. The derived equations, after necessary modifications for the p-wave pairing, are especially suitable for nonstationary problems in the theory of superfluidity of 3 He

The disordered Bose condensate in two dimensions: application to high-Tc superconductors

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Gold, A.

1992-01-01

We calculate the dynamical conductivity for a weakly disordered Bose condensate in two dimensions. The disorder is due to neutral impurities. We compare the asymptotic laws (for small and large frequencies) for neutral impurities with the ones for charged impurities. Universal functions for the dynamical transport properties are derived. The plasmon density of states shows a linear increase with energy for intermediate energies and a peak structure at larger energies. Our theoretical results are compared with experimental results (far-infrared, electron-energy-loss and Raman spectroscopy) found in the high-Tc superconductor YBa 2 Cu 3 O 7-δ . The occurrence of a quasi-gap in a disordered Bose condensate is described and discussed in connection with experiments on high-Tc superconductors. (orig.)

Application of internally cooled superconductors to tokamak fusion reactors

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Materna, P.A.

1986-01-01

Recent proposals for ignition tokamaks containing superconductors are reviewed. As the funding prospects for the U.S. fusion program have worsened, the proposed designs have been shrinking to smaller machines with less ambitious goals. The most recent proposal, the Tokamak Fusion Core Experiment (TFCX), was based on internally cooled cabled Nb 3 Sn conductors for the options which used superconductors. Internally cooled conductors are particularly advantageous in their electrical insulating properties and in the similarity of their winding procedures to those of conventional copper coils. Epoxy impregnation is possible and is advantageous both structurally and electrically. The allowable current density for this type of conductor was shown to be larger than the current density for more conventional superconducting technology. The TFCX effort identified research and development needed in advance of TFCX or any other large ignition machine. These topics include the metal used for the conduit; nuclear effects on materials; properties of electrical and thermal insulators; extension of superconducting technology to the sizes of coils envisioned and to the field level envisioned; pulsed coil superconducting technology; joints and insulating breaks in conductors; heat removal or flow path length limitations; mechanical behavior of potted conductor bundles; instrumentation; and fault modes and various questions integrated with overall machine design

Diffusion of nonequilibrium quasi-particles in a cuprate superconductor

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Gedik, N.; Orenstein, J.; Liang, Ruixing; Bonn, D.A.; Hardy, W.N.

2003-01-01

We report a transport study of nonequilibrium quasi-particles in a high-transition-temperature cuprate superconductor using the transient grating technique. Low-intensity laser excitation (at a photon energy of 1.5 electron volts) was used to introduce a spatially periodic density of quasi-particles into a high-quality untwinned single crystal of YBa2Cu3O6.5. Probing the evolution of the initial density through space and time yielded the quasi-particle diffusion coefficient and the inelastic and elastic scattering rates. The technique reported here is potentially applicable to precision measurements of quasi-particle dynamics not only in cuprate superconductors but in other electronic systems as well

Application of superconductors - High T/sub c/ and otherwise-to electric power generators

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Kirtley, J.L. Jr.

1988-01-01

Because superconducting magnets are capable of making large magnetic fluxes over large volumes of space with no dissipation and without the need for iron magnetic circuits, they appear to offer distinct advantages for use in electric machinery. In addition to eliminating the field winding losses, superconductors help improve efficiency by increasing flux density, thus shortening the armature conductor length per unit of flux linked. The elimination of iron allows for innovations in generator design and reduces reactance, thus improving dynamic performance. The basic feasibility of using metallic superconductors, operating at liquid helium temperature, has been demonstrated by investigators at several different organizations. While there is not yet agreement on exactly how a superconducting generator would be built, it is generally agreed that machines using liquid helium temperature conductors will be economically viable in at least some range of ratings. The use of higher transition temperature superconductors will make superconducting generators even more attractive if such conductors can provide satisfactory performance, measured by current density and magnetic field. Recent studies point out that even substantial improvements in operating temperature will not justify large reductions in current density

Chiral superconductors.

Science.gov (United States)

Kallin, Catherine; Berlinsky, John

2016-05-01

Chiral superconductivity is a striking quantum phenomenon in which an unconventional superconductor spontaneously develops an angular momentum and lowers its free energy by eliminating nodes in the gap. It is a topologically non-trivial state and, as such, exhibits distinctive topological modes at surfaces and defects. In this paper we discuss the current theory and experimental results on chiral superconductors, focusing on two of the best-studied systems, Sr2RuO4, which is thought to be a chiral triplet p-wave superconductor, and UPt3, which has two low-temperature superconducting phases (in zero magnetic field), the lower of which is believed to be chiral triplet f-wave. Other systems that may exhibit chiral superconductivity are also discussed. Key signatures of chiral superconductivity are surface currents and chiral Majorana modes, Majorana states in vortex cores, and the possibility of half-flux quantum vortices in the case of triplet pairing. Experimental evidence for chiral superconductivity from μSR, NMR, strain, polar Kerr effect and Josephson tunneling experiments are discussed.

Signatures of Majorana Kramers pairs in superconductor-Luttinger liquid and superconductor-quantum dot-normal lead junctions

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Kim, Younghyun; Liu, Dong E.; Gaidamauskas, Erikas

2016-01-01

Time-reversal invariant topological superconductors are characterized by the presence of Majorana Kramers pairs localized at defects. One of the transport signatures of Majorana Kramers pairs is the quantized differential conductance of $4e^2/h$ when such a one-dimensional superconductor is coupled...... to that in a spin-triplet superconductor - normal lead junction. We also study here a quantum dot coupled to a normal lead and a Majorana Kramers pair and investigate the effect of local repulsive interactions leading to an interplay between Kondo and Majorana correlations. Using a combination of renormalization...... sector of the topological superconductor. We investigate the stability of the Majorana phase with respect to Gaussian fluctuations....

Flux cutting in superconductors

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Campbell, A M

2011-01-01

This paper describes experiments and theories of flux cutting in superconductors. The use of the flux line picture in free space is discussed. In superconductors cutting can either be by means of flux at an angle to other layers of flux, as in longitudinal current experiments, or due to shearing of the vortex lattice as in grain boundaries in YBCO. Experiments on longitudinal currents can be interpreted in terms of flux rings penetrating axial lines. More physical models of flux cutting are discussed but all predict much larger flux cutting forces than are observed. Also, cutting is occurring at angles between vortices of about one millidegree which is hard to explain. The double critical state model and its developments are discussed in relation to experiments on crossed and rotating fields. A new experiment suggested by Clem gives more direct information. It shows that an elliptical yield surface of the critical state works well, but none of the theoretical proposals for determining the direction of E are universally applicable. It appears that, as soon as any flux flow takes place, cutting also occurs. The conclusion is that new theories are required. (perspective)

Stoichiometric analysis of Y-Ba-Cu-O superconductors using deuterons

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Tang, S.M.; Ong, T.H.; Tan, M.G.; Loh, K.K.; Sow, C.H.; Yuan, B.; Orlic, I.

1993-01-01

In principle, deuteron irradiation can be used for a complete stoichiometric analysis of Y-Ba-Cu-O superconductors. The contents of all the four chemical constituents can be determined by simultaneous detection of the 0.871 MeV prompt gamma rays from the 16 O(d, pγ) 17 O * reaction and of the characteristic X-rays produced by DIXE (deuteron induced X-ray emission). In this paper we present the approach taken and the results obtained in exploring the applicability of this technique for accurate quantitative determinations of the chemical constituents of bulk Y-Ba-Cu-O superconductors. (orig.)

Two-dimensional Semiconductor-Superconductor Hybrids

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Suominen, Henri Juhani

This thesis investigates hybrid two-dimensional semiconductor-superconductor (Sm-S) devices and presents a new material platform exhibiting intimate Sm-S coupling straight out of the box. Starting with the conventional approach, we investigate coupling superconductors to buried quantum well....... To overcome these issues we integrate the superconductor directly into the semiconducting material growth stack, depositing it in-situ in a molecular beam epitaxy system under high vacuum. We present a number of experiments on these hybrid heterostructures, demonstrating near unity interface transparency...

Fundamental studies of superconductors using scanning magnetic imaging

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Kirtley, J R [Center for Probing the Nanoscale, Stanford University, Stanford, CA (United States)

2010-12-01

In this review I discuss the application of scanning magnetic imaging to fundamental studies of superconductors, concentrating on three scanning magnetic microscopies-scanning SQUID microscopy (SSM), scanning Hall bar microscopy (SHM) and magnetic force microscopy (MFM). I briefly discuss the history, sensitivity, spatial resolution, invasiveness and potential future developments of each technique. I then discuss a selection of applications of these microscopies. I start with static imaging of magnetic flux: an SSM study provides deeper understanding of vortex trapping in narrow strips, which are used to reduce noise in superconducting circuitry. Studies of vortex trapping in wire lattices, clusters and arrays of rings and nanoholes show fascinating ordering effects. The cuprate high-T{sub c} superconductors are shown to have predominantly d-wave pairing symmetry by magnetic imaging of the half-integer flux quantum effect. Arrays of superconducting rings act as a physical analog for the Ising spin model, with the half-integer flux quantum effect helping to eliminate one source of disorder in antiferromagnetic arrangements of the ring moments. Tests of the interlayer tunneling model show that the condensation energy available from this mechanism cannot account for the high critical temperatures observed in the cuprates. The strong divergence in the magnetic fields of Pearl vortices allows them to be imaged using SSM, even for penetration depths of a millimeter. Unusual vortex arrangements occur in samples comparable in size to the coherence length. Spontaneous magnetization is not observed in Sr{sub 2}RuO{sub 4}, which is believed to have p{sub x} {+-} ip{sub y} pairing symmetry, although effects hundreds of times bigger than the sensitivity limits had been predicted. However, unusual flux trapping is observed in this superconductor. Finally, unusual flux arrangements are also observed in magnetic superconductors. I then turn to vortex dynamics: imaging of vortices

Fundamental studies of superconductors using scanning magnetic imaging

Science.gov (United States)

Kirtley, J. R.

2010-12-01

In this review I discuss the application of scanning magnetic imaging to fundamental studies of superconductors, concentrating on three scanning magnetic microscopies—scanning SQUID microscopy (SSM), scanning Hall bar microscopy (SHM) and magnetic force microscopy (MFM). I briefly discuss the history, sensitivity, spatial resolution, invasiveness and potential future developments of each technique. I then discuss a selection of applications of these microscopies. I start with static imaging of magnetic flux: an SSM study provides deeper understanding of vortex trapping in narrow strips, which are used to reduce noise in superconducting circuitry. Studies of vortex trapping in wire lattices, clusters and arrays of rings and nanoholes show fascinating ordering effects. The cuprate high-Tc superconductors are shown to have predominantly d-wave pairing symmetry by magnetic imaging of the half-integer flux quantum effect. Arrays of superconducting rings act as a physical analog for the Ising spin model, with the half-integer flux quantum effect helping to eliminate one source of disorder in antiferromagnetic arrangements of the ring moments. Tests of the interlayer tunneling model show that the condensation energy available from this mechanism cannot account for the high critical temperatures observed in the cuprates. The strong divergence in the magnetic fields of Pearl vortices allows them to be imaged using SSM, even for penetration depths of a millimeter. Unusual vortex arrangements occur in samples comparable in size to the coherence length. Spontaneous magnetization is not observed in Sr2RuO4, which is believed to have px ± ipy pairing symmetry, although effects hundreds of times bigger than the sensitivity limits had been predicted. However, unusual flux trapping is observed in this superconductor. Finally, unusual flux arrangements are also observed in magnetic superconductors. I then turn to vortex dynamics: imaging of vortices in rings of highly underdoped

Tunable quasiparticle trapping in Meissner and vortex states of mesoscopic superconductors.

Science.gov (United States)

Taupin, M; Khaymovich, I M; Meschke, M; Mel'nikov, A S; Pekola, J P

2016-03-16

Nowadays, superconductors serve in numerous applications, from high-field magnets to ultrasensitive detectors of radiation. Mesoscopic superconducting devices, referring to those with nanoscale dimensions, are in a special position as they are easily driven out of equilibrium under typical operating conditions. The out-of-equilibrium superconductors are characterized by non-equilibrium quasiparticles. These extra excitations can compromise the performance of mesoscopic devices by introducing, for example, leakage currents or decreased coherence time in quantum devices. By applying an external magnetic field, one can conveniently suppress or redistribute the population of excess quasiparticles. In this article, we present an experimental demonstration and a theoretical analysis of such effective control of quasiparticles, resulting in electron cooling both in the Meissner and vortex states of a mesoscopic superconductor. We introduce a theoretical model of quasiparticle dynamics, which is in quantitative agreement with the experimental data.

Thermal transport in layered structure of YBa2Cu3O7-δ superconductors

Science.gov (United States)

Sharma, Rakhi; Indu, B. D.

2017-12-01

The heat transfer study in YBa2Cu3O7-δ superconductors structures is focused on the influence of the effect of scattering events in cross-plane and in-plane references. Understanding the mechanism of controlling the thermal conductivity of layered superconductors is an area of interest for nano microelectronics and thermo-electronic technological applications. The model of the thermal conduction, and phonon transport perpendicular and parallel to the layers of YBa2Cu3O7-δ are developed. It has been justified via numerical estimation and found substantial diminution in thermal conductivities in both in-plane and cross-plane directions of layered cuprate superconductors.

Superconductor bearings, flywheels and transportation

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Werfel, F N; Floegel-Delor, U; Rothfeld, R; Riedel, T; Goebel, B; Wippich, D; Schirrmeister, P

2012-01-01

This paper describes the present status of high temperature superconductors (HTS) and of bulk superconducting magnet devices, their use in bearings, in flywheel energy storage systems (FESS) and linear transport magnetic levitation (Maglev) systems. We report and review the concepts of multi-seeded REBCO bulk superconductor fabrication. The multi-grain bulks increase the averaged trapped magnetic flux density up to 40% compared to single-grain assembly in large-scale applications. HTS magnetic bearings with permanent magnet (PM) excitation were studied and scaled up to maximum forces of 10 kN axially and 4.5 kN radially. We examine the technology of the high-gradient magnetic bearing concept and verify it experimentally. A large HTS bearing is tested for stabilizing a 600 kg rotor of a 5 kWh/250 kW flywheel system. The flywheel rotor tests show the requirement for additional damping. Our compact flywheel system is compared with similar HTS–FESS projects. A small-scale compact YBCO bearing with in situ Stirling cryocooler is constructed and investigated for mobile applications. Next we show a successfully developed modular linear Maglev system for magnetic train operation. Each module levitates 0.25t at 10 mm distance during one-day operation without refilling LN 2 . More than 30 vacuum cryostats containing multi-seeded YBCO blocks are fabricated and are tested now in Germany, China and Brazil.

Modified entropic gravitation in superconductors

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Matos, Clovis Jacinto de

2012-01-01

Verlinde recently developed a theoretical account of gravitation in terms of an entropic force. The central element in Verlinde’s derivation is information and its relation with entropy through the holographic principle. The application of this approach to the case of superconductors requires to take into account that information associated with superconductor’s quantum vacuum energy is not stored on Planck size surface elements, but in four volume cells with Planck-Einstein size. This has profound consequences on the type of gravitational force generated by the quantum vacuum condensate in superconductors, which is closely related with the cosmological repulsive acceleration responsible for the accelerated expansion of the Universe. Remarkably this new gravitational type force depends on the level of breaking of the weak equivalence principle for cooper pairs in a given superconducting material, which was previously derived by the author starting from similar principles. It is also shown that this new gravitational force can be interpreted as a surface force. The experimental detection of this new repulsive gravitational-type force appears to be challenging.

Iron pnictide superconductors

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Tegel, Marcus Christian

2011-01-01

The scope of this dissertation therefore has not only been the synthesis of various new superconducting and non-superconducting iron pnictides of several structural families but also their in-depth crystallographic and physical characterisation. In Chapters 3 - 6, the family of the ZrCuSiAs-type (1111) compounds is subject of discussion. The solid solution series La(Co x Fe 1-x )PO is analysed regarding magnetic and superconducting properties and the new compounds EuMnPF and REZnPO, as well as the new superconductor parent compound SrFeAsF are presented. Chapters 7 - 9 are dedicated to the new iron arsenide superconductors of the ThCr 2 Si 2 -type (122 family). Therein, also the discovery of the first superconductor in this structural family, Ba 0.6 K 0.4 Fe 2 As 2 , is unveiled. A detailed examination of the complete solid solution series (Ba 1-x K x )Fe 2 As 2 is presented. Moreover, the crystallographic phase transitions of the closely related compounds SrFe 2 As 2 and EuFe 2 As 2 are characterised and the superconductors Sr 1-x K x Fe 2 As 2 and Ca 1-x Na x Fe 2 As 2 are examined for magnetic and phononic excitations. In Chapter 10, the redetermined crystal structure of the superconductor Fe(Se 1-x Te x ) (11-type) is presented from a chemist's point of view. Chapters 11 - 14 look into the superconducting and non-superconducting iron arsenides of more complex structural families (32522-type and 21311-type). Therein, crystallographic and magnetic details of Sr 3 Sc 2 O 5 Fe 2 As 2 are presented and Ba 2 ScO 3 FeAs and Sr 2 CrO 3 FeAs, the first two members of the new 21311-type are portrayed. Sr 2 CrO 3 FeAs is looked at in close detail with various methods, so e.g. the spin structure of the magnetically ordered compound is solved and a possible reason for the absence of superconductivity in this compound is given. Finally, the superconductor Sr 2 VO 3 FeAs is scrutinised and necessary prerequisites for superconductivity in this compound are suggested. (orig.)

EDITORIAL: The electromagnetic properties of iron-based superconductors The electromagnetic properties of iron-based superconductors

Science.gov (United States)

Prozorov, Ruslan; Gurevich, Alex; Luke, Graeme

2010-05-01

Iron-based superconductors, discovered just a few years ago, are members of a diverse family of pnictides and chalcogenides which may potentially contain hundreds of superconducting compounds. The unconventional, multiband superconductivity in these materials most likely emerges from the quintessential magnetic Fe ions. Along with many similarities to the high-Tc cuprates, the proximity of antiferromagnetism to superconductivity in these semi-metallic materials has attracted much attention. The massive effort aimed at understanding superconductivity in the high-Tc cuprates has stimulated the development of numerous state-of-the-art experimental techniques, improved crystal growth methods and a variety of new theoretical insights. These tools and models were already available and readily applied to the new iron-based superconductors for which lots of high quality new results are being reported literally every day. The current special section represents only a snapshot of these extensive studies performed in the second half of 2009, less than two years after the discovery of 26 K superconductivity in the LaFeAsO compound. The range of various experiments is impressive and this issue is mostly focused on the electromagnetic properties of these iron-based materials. The electromagnetic response is sensitive to the microscopic electronic behavior and therefore can be used to probe the mechanism of superconductivity. On the other hand, it is the electromagnetic response that determines many possible applications of these superconductors, particularly given their extremely high upper critical fields. At this point it is already quite clear that the iron-based superconductors cannot unambiguously fit into any known type of superconductor class and have been placed in one of their own. The metallic ground state of the parent compounds is different from the insulating state of the cuprates and generally exhibits a lower electromagnetic anisotropy. However, similar to the

Progress in melt-texturing of YBCO superconductors

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Salama, K.; Lee, D.F.; Selvamanickam, V.

1993-01-01

Since the discovery of high temperature superconductors (HTS), tremendous efforts have been expanded toward the improvement of these materials. Due to the weak-link problem associated with grain boundaries, sintered bulk HTS possess a transport critical current density (J c ) on the order of 10 2 -10 3 A/cm 2 at 77 K. While these sintered superconductors may be utilized in low current applications, novel processing methods have to be developed to obtain HTS that can sustain high currents. Melt-texturing of HTS was found to result in a high degree of grain orientation, and is presently the most prominent processing method used to manufacture bulk YBa 2 Cu 3 O x (123) with superior transport and magnetic properties. In this review paper, various melt-texturing methods will be discussed, and the variation in J c with processing will be presented. (orig.)

PREFACE: MEM07: The 5th Annual Workshop on Mechanical and Electromagnetic Properties of Composite Superconductors (Princeton, NJ, USA, 21 24 August 2007)

Science.gov (United States)

Larbalestier, D. C.; Osamura, K.; Hampshire, D. P.

2008-05-01

MEM07 was the 5th international workshop concentrating on the mechanical and electrical properties of composite superconductors, which are the technological conductor forms from which practical superconducting devices are made. Such superconducting conductors respond to important challenges we currently face, especially those concerned with the proper management of the world's energy resources. Superconductivity provides a means to address the challenges in the generation, transmission and distribution, and use of energy. For energy generation, the ITER Fusion Tokomak (now underway in France) provides exciting new challenges for the whole superconductivity community, due to the enormous size and strong fields of the plasma confinement superconducting magnets that will form the largest and most powerful superconducting machine yet built. Significant attention was paid at MEM07 to the modeling, characterization, testing and validation of the high-amperage Nb3Sn cable-in-conduit conductors needed for ITER. As for electric energy industry uses, there was much discussion of both first generation (Bi,Pb)2Sr2Ca2Cu3Ox conductors and the rapidly emerging second generation coated conductors made from YBa2Cu37-x. High-performing, affordable conductors of these materials are vital for large capacity transmission cables, energy storage systems, fault current limiters, generators and motors—many prototypes of which are being pursued in technologically advanced countries. There is a broad consensus that the prototype stage for high-current-high-field superconducting applications is nearing its end and that large scale applications are technologically feasible. However full industrialization of large-scale superconducting technologies in electric utility applications will benefit from continuous improvement in critical current, lower ac loss, higher strength and other vital conductor properties. The establishment of optimal procedures for the system design accompanying scale

Neutron irradiation effects in advanced superconductors

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Yoshida, H.; Kodaka, H.; Miyata, K.; Hayashi, Y.; Atobe, K.

1988-01-01

This paper reports the effects of neutron irradiation on superconducting transitions studied by susceptibility and resistivity measurements for A15 type compounds, Laves-phase compounds and oxide superconductors. For A15 superconductors, the transition temperature (T c ) decreased with increasing neutron fluence and showed large drop started at about 5 x 10 18 n/cm 2 (E > 0.1 MeV). Post-irradiation annealing gave recovery of T c , but the behaviors were different for the materials with different composition and microstructure. The Laves-phase compounds showed less degradation than the A15 superconductors. For oxide superconductors very sensitive transition change was observed, including the radiation-induced superconductivity

Quasiparticle-mediated spin Hall effect in a superconductor.

Science.gov (United States)

Wakamura, T; Akaike, H; Omori, Y; Niimi, Y; Takahashi, S; Fujimaki, A; Maekawa, S; Otani, Y

2015-07-01

In some materials the competition between superconductivity and magnetism brings about a variety of unique phenomena such as the coexistence of superconductivity and magnetism in heavy-fermion superconductors or spin-triplet supercurrent in ferromagnetic Josephson junctions. Recent observations of spin-charge separation in a lateral spin valve with a superconductor evidence that these remarkable properties are applicable to spintronics, although there are still few works exploring this possibility. Here, we report the experimental observation of the quasiparticle-mediated spin Hall effect in a superconductor, NbN. This compound exhibits the inverse spin Hall (ISH) effect even below the superconducting transition temperature. Surprisingly, the ISH signal increases by more than 2,000 times compared with that in the normal state with a decrease of the injected spin current. The effect disappears when the distance between the voltage probes becomes larger than the charge imbalance length, corroborating that the huge ISH signals measured are mediated by quasiparticles.

Renormalized modes in cuprate superconductors

Science.gov (United States)

Gupta, Anushri; Kumari, Anita; Verma, Sanjeev K.; Indu, B. D.

2018-04-01

The renormalized mode frequencies are obtained with the help of quantum dynamical approach of many body phonon Green's function technique via a general Hamiltonian (excluding BCS Hamiltonian) including the effects of phonons and electrons, anharmonicities and electron-phonon interactions. The numerical estimates have been carried out to study the renormalized mode frequency of high temperature cuprate superconductor (HTS) YBa2Cu3O7-δ using modified Born-Mayer-Huggins interaction potential (MBMHP) best applicable to study the dynamical properties of all HTS.

NSSEFF Designing New Higher Temperature Superconductors

Science.gov (United States)

2017-04-13

AFRL-AFOSR-VA-TR-2017-0083 NSSEFF - DESIGINING NEW HIGHER TEMPERATURE SUPERCONDUCTORS Meigan Aronson THE RESEARCH FOUNDATION OF STATE UNIVERSITY OF...2015 4. TITLE AND SUBTITLE NSSEFF - DESIGINING NEW HIGHER TEMPERATURE SUPERCONDUCTORS 5a.  CONTRACT NUMBER 5b.  GRANT NUMBER FA9550-10-1-0191 5c...materials, identifying the most promising candidates. 15. SUBJECT TERMS TEMPERATURE, SUPERCONDUCTOR 16. SECURITY CLASSIFICATION OF: 17. LIMITATION OF

Spin nutation effects in molecular nanomagnet–superconductor tunnel junctions

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Abouie, J; Abdollahipour, B; Rostami, A A

2013-01-01

We study the spin nutation effects of a molecular nanomagnet on the Josephson current through a superconductor|molecular nanomagnet|superconductor tunnel junction. We explicitly demonstrate that, due to the spin nutation of the molecular nanomagnet, two oscillatory terms emerge in the ac Josephson current in addition to the conventional ac Josephson current. Some resonances occur in the junction due to the interactions of the transported quasiparticles with the bias voltage and molecular nanomagnet spin dynamics. Their appearance indicates that the energy exchanged during these interactions is in the range of the superconducting energy gap. We also show that the spin nutation is able to convert the ac Josephson current to a dc current, which is interesting for applications. (paper)

A novel heat engine for magnetizing superconductors

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Coombs, T A; Hong, Z; Zhu, X [Cambridge University Engineering Department, Trumpington Street, CB2 1PZ (United Kingdom); Krabbes, G [IFW Dresden, Helmholtzstrasse 20, 01069 Dresden (Germany)

2008-03-01

The potential of bulk melt-processed YBCO single domains to trap significant magnetic fields (Tomita and Murakami 2003 Nature 421 517-20; Fuchs et al 2000 Appl. Phys. Lett. 76 2107-9) at cryogenic temperatures makes them particularly attractive for a variety of engineering applications including superconducting magnets, magnetic bearings and motors (Coombs et al 1999 IEEE Trans. Appl. Supercond. 9 968-71; Coombs et al 2005 IEEE Trans. Appl. Supercond. 15 2312-5). It has already been shown that large fields can be obtained in single domain samples at 77 K. A range of possible applications exist in the design of high power density electric motors (Jiang et al 2006 Supercond. Sci. Technol. 19 1164-8). Before such devices can be created a major problem needs to be overcome. Even though all of these devices use a superconductor in the role of a permanent magnet and even though the superconductor can trap potentially huge magnetic fields (greater than 10 T) the problem is how to induce the magnetic fields. There are four possible known methods: (1) cooling in field; (2) zero field cooling, followed by slowly applied field; (3) pulse magnetization; (4) flux pumping. Any of these methods could be used to magnetize the superconductor and this may be done either in situ or ex situ. Ideally the superconductors are magnetized in situ. There are several reasons for this: first, if the superconductors should become demagnetized through (i) flux creep, (ii) repeatedly applied perpendicular fields (Vanderbemden et al 2007 Phys. Rev. B 75 (17)) or (iii) by loss of cooling then they may be re-magnetized without the need to disassemble the machine; secondly, there are difficulties with handling very strongly magnetized material at cryogenic temperatures when assembling the machine; thirdly, ex situ methods would require the machine to be assembled both cold and pre-magnetized and would offer significant design difficulties. Until room temperature superconductors can be prepared, the

A novel heat engine for magnetizing superconductors

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Coombs, T A; Hong, Z; Zhu, X; Krabbes, G

2008-01-01

The potential of bulk melt-processed YBCO single domains to trap significant magnetic fields (Tomita and Murakami 2003 Nature 421 517-20; Fuchs et al 2000 Appl. Phys. Lett. 76 2107-9) at cryogenic temperatures makes them particularly attractive for a variety of engineering applications including superconducting magnets, magnetic bearings and motors (Coombs et al 1999 IEEE Trans. Appl. Supercond. 9 968-71; Coombs et al 2005 IEEE Trans. Appl. Supercond. 15 2312-5). It has already been shown that large fields can be obtained in single domain samples at 77 K. A range of possible applications exist in the design of high power density electric motors (Jiang et al 2006 Supercond. Sci. Technol. 19 1164-8). Before such devices can be created a major problem needs to be overcome. Even though all of these devices use a superconductor in the role of a permanent magnet and even though the superconductor can trap potentially huge magnetic fields (greater than 10 T) the problem is how to induce the magnetic fields. There are four possible known methods: (1) cooling in field; (2) zero field cooling, followed by slowly applied field; (3) pulse magnetization; (4) flux pumping. Any of these methods could be used to magnetize the superconductor and this may be done either in situ or ex situ. Ideally the superconductors are magnetized in situ. There are several reasons for this: first, if the superconductors should become demagnetized through (i) flux creep, (ii) repeatedly applied perpendicular fields (Vanderbemden et al 2007 Phys. Rev. B 75 (17)) or (iii) by loss of cooling then they may be re-magnetized without the need to disassemble the machine; secondly, there are difficulties with handling very strongly magnetized material at cryogenic temperatures when assembling the machine; thirdly, ex situ methods would require the machine to be assembled both cold and pre-magnetized and would offer significant design difficulties. Until room temperature superconductors can be prepared, the

High temperature superconductor accelerator magnets

NARCIS (Netherlands)

van Nugteren, J.

2016-01-01

For future particle accelerators bending dipoles are considered with magnetic fields exceeding 20T. This can only be achieved using high temperature superconductors (HTS). These exhibit different properties from classical low temperature superconductors and still require significant research and

Doping-Induced Isotopic Mg11B2 Bulk Superconductor for Fusion Application

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Qi Cai

2017-03-01

Full Text Available Superconducting wires are widely used for fabricating magnetic coils in fusion reactors. Superconducting magnet system represents a key determinant of the thermal efficiency and the construction/operating costs of such a reactor. In consideration of the stability of 11B against fast neutron irradiation and its lower induced radioactivation properties, MgB2 superconductor with 11B serving as the boron source is an alternative candidate for use in fusion reactors with a severe high neutron flux environment. In the present work, the glycine-doped Mg11B2 bulk superconductor was synthesized from isotopic 11B powder to enhance the high field properties. The critical current density was enhanced (103 A·cm−2 at 20 K and 5 T over the entire field in contrast with the sample prepared from natural boron.

Charge transport in junctions between d-wave superconductors

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Barash, Y.S.; Galaktionov, A.V.; Zaikin, A.D.

1995-01-01

We develop a microscopic analysis of superconducting and dissipative currents in junctions between superconductors with d-wave symmetry of the order parameter. We study the proximity effect in such superconductors and show that for certain crystal orientations the superconducting order parameter can be essentially suppressed in the vicinity of a nontransparent specularly reflecting boundary. This effect strongly influences the value and the angular dependence of the dc Josephson current j S . At T∼T c it leads to a crossover between j S ∝T c -T and j S ∝(T c -T) 2 respectively for homogeneous and nonhomogeneous distribution of the order parameter in the vicinity of a tunnel junction. We show that at low temperatures the current-phase relation j S (cphi) for superconductor--normal-metal--superconductor junctions and short weak links between d-wave superconductors is essentially nonharmonic and contains a discontinuity at cphi=0. This leads to further interesting features of such systems which can be used for pairing symmetry tests in high-temperature superconductors (HTSC). We also investigated the low-temperature I-V curves of normal-metal--superconductor and superconductor-superconductor tunnel junctions and demonstrated that depending on the junction type and crystal orientation these curves show zero-bias anomalies I∝V 2 , I∝V 2 ln(1/V), and I∝V 3 caused by the gapless behavior of the order parameter in d-wave superconductors. Many of our results agree well with recent experimental findings for HTSC compounds

Making superconductors

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

McDonald, W.K.

1981-01-01

A method is described of producing composite rod or wire of increased strength and fineness wherein the composite is formed by reducing a lamina of two metals which have been rolled to form a cylindrical billet in which one of the metals is in expanded form. The composite produced can be encased in copper and fabricated to produce a superconductor. Alloys contemplated for producing superconductors are Nb 3 Sn, Nb 3 Ga, Nb 3 Ge, Nb 3 Si, Nb-Ti, V 3 Ga, V 3 Si, V 3 Sn, V 3 Al, and V 3 Ge laminated on bronze, Al, Cu, Ta, or combinations thereof. (author)

Search for Majorana fermions in topological superconductors.

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Pan, Wei [Sandia National Lab. (SNL-NM), Albuquerque, NM (United States); Shi, Xiaoyan [Sandia National Lab. (SNL-NM), Albuquerque, NM (United States); Hawkins, Samuel D. [Sandia National Lab. (SNL-NM), Albuquerque, NM (United States); Klem, John Frederick [Sandia National Lab. (SNL-NM), Albuquerque, NM (United States)

2014-10-01

The goal of this project is to search for Majorana fermions (a new quantum particle) in a topological superconductor (a new quantum matter achieved in a topological insulator proximitized by an s-wave superconductor). Majorana fermions (MFs) are electron-like particles that are their own anti-particles. MFs are shown to obey non-Abelian statistics and, thus, can be harnessed to make a fault-resistant topological quantum computer. With the arrival of topological insulators, novel schemes to create MFs have been proposed in hybrid systems by combining a topological insulator with a conventional superconductor. In this LDRD project, we will follow the theoretical proposals to search for MFs in one-dimensional (1D) topological superconductors. 1D topological superconductor will be created inside of a quantum point contact (with the metal pinch-off gates made of conventional s-wave superconductors such as niobium) in a two-dimensional topological insulator (such as inverted type-II InAs/GaSb heterostructure).

Epitaxial growth of Fe-based superconductor thin films

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Meyer, Sven; Haenisch, Jens; Holzapfel, Bernhard [Institut fuer Technische Physik, Karlsruher Institut fuer Technologie, Hermann-von-Helmholtz-Platz 1, 76344 Eggenstein-Leopoldshafen (Germany)

2016-07-01

The Fe-based superconductors (FBS), discovered in 2008, are not only interesting for possible applications due to their large upper critical fields and low anisotropies, but also for basic understanding of unconventional superconductivity. With their properties, they constitute a link between the classic low-T{sub c} superconductors (low anisotropies, low thermal fluctuations, s-wave type symmetry) and the oxocuprates (T{sub c} up to 55 K, large H{sub c2}, unconventional pairing). Their multi-band nature reminds of MgB{sub 2}. We prepare thin films of FBS in the so called 122 family, namely Co- and P-doped BaFe{sub 2}As{sub 2} to investigate application relevant properties, such as critical current density J{sub c}, by pulsed laser deposition using a frequency-tripled Nd:YAG laser (λ = 355 nm). Microstructure and chemical composition will be investigated by XRD, AFM and SEM, and electrical transport using a 14 T PPMS. The results are compared to literature data on films grown at different wavelengths.

Nonmagnetic impurities in magnetic superconductors

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Mineev, V.P.

1989-01-01

The magnetization and magnetic field arising around the nonmagnetic impurity in magnetic superconductor with triplet pairing are found. The relationship of these results with the data of recent (gm)sR experiments in heavy fermionic superconductor U 1 - x Th x Be 13 is presented

Holographic complexity in gauge/string superconductors

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Davood Momeni

2016-05-01

Full Text Available Following a methodology similar to [1], we derive a holographic complexity for two dimensional holographic superconductors (gauge/string superconductors with backreactions. Applying a perturbation method proposed by Kanno in Ref. [2], we study behaviors of the complexity for a dual quantum system near critical points. We show that when a system moves from the normal phase (T>Tc to the superconductor phase (T

Cold atoms near superconductors: atomic spin coherence beyond the Johnson noise limit

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Kasch, B; Hattermann, H; Cano, D; Judd, T E; Zimmermann, C; Kleiner, R; Koelle, D; Fortagh, J; Scheel, S

2010-01-01

We report on the measurement of atomic spin coherence near the surface of a superconducting niobium wire. As compared to normal conducting metal surfaces, the atomic spin coherence is maintained for time periods beyond the Johnson noise limit. The result provides experimental evidence that magnetic near-field noise near the superconductor is strongly suppressed. Such long atomic spin coherence times near superconductors open the way towards the development of coherently coupled cold atom/solid state hybrid quantum systems with potential applications in quantum information processing and precision force sensing.

"Fluctuoscopy" of Superconductors

Science.gov (United States)

Varlamov, A. A.

Study of fluctuation phenomena in superconductors (SCs) is the subject of great fundamental and practical importance. Understanding of their physics allowed to clear up the fundamental properties of SC state. Being predicted in 1968, one of the fluctuation effects, namely paraconductivity, was experimentally observed almost simultaneously. Since this time, fluctuations became a noticeable part of research in the field of superconductivity, and a variety of fluctuation effects have been discovered. The new wave of interest to fluctuations (FL) in superconductors was generated by the discovery of cuprate oxide superconductors (high-temperature superconductors, HTS), where, due to extremely short coherence length and low effective dimensionality of the electron system, superconductive fluctuations manifest themselves in a wide range of temperatures. Moreover, anomalous properties of the normal state of HTS were attributed by many theorists to strong FL in these systems. Being studied in the framework of the phenomenological Ginzburg-Landau theory and, more extensively, in diagrammatic microscopic approach, SC FLs side by side with other quantum corrections (weak localization, etc.) became a new tool for investigation and characterization of such new systems as HTS, disordered electron systems, granular metals, Josephson structures, artificial super-lattices, etc. The characteristic feature of SC FL is their strong dependence on temperature and magnetic fields in the vicinity of phase transition. This allows one to definitely separate the fluctuation effects from other contributions and to use them as the source of information about the microscopic parameters of a material. By their origin, SC FLs are very sensitive to relaxation processes, which break phase coherence. This allows using them for versatile characterization of SC. Today, one can speak about the " fluctuoscopy" of superconductive systems. In review, we present the qualitative picture both of thermodynamic

Preparation of superconductor precursor powders

Science.gov (United States)

Bhattacharya, Raghunath

1998-01-01

A process for the preparation of a precursor metallic powder composition for use in the subsequent formation of a superconductor. The process comprises the steps of providing an electrodeposition bath comprising an electrolyte medium and a cathode substrate electrode, and providing to the bath one or more soluble salts of one or more respective metals which are capable of exhibiting superconductor properties upon subsequent appropriate treatment. The bath is continually energized to cause the metallic and/or reduced particles formed at the electrode to drop as a powder from the electrode into the bath, and this powder, which is a precursor powder for superconductor production, is recovered from the bath for subsequent treatment. The process permits direct inclusion of all metals in the preparation of the precursor powder, and yields an amorphous product mixed on an atomic scale to thereby impart inherent high reactivity. Superconductors which can be formed from the precursor powder include pellet and powder-in-tube products.

Pinning and creep in high-Tc superconductors

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Ovchinnikov, Yu.N.; Ivlev, B.I.

1992-01-01

The angular and magnetic field dependence of a critical current parallel to the layers in the layered superconductors is studied. The critical current value is found for a superconductor with strong pinning centers. Quantum flux creep in sufficiently perfect layered high-Tc superconductors is discussed. The cross-over temperature between activated and quantum creep is found. (orig.)

Topological Insulators and Superconductors for Innovative Devices

Science.gov (United States)

2015-03-20

Final 3. DATES COVERED (From - To) 20120321 - 20150320 4. TITLE AND SUBTITLE Topological insulators and superconductors for innovative...locking, which hold promise for various innovative devices. Similarly, topological superconductors are associated with exotic surface states, which...298 (Rev. 8/98) Prescribed by ANSI Std. Z39.18 Final Report Title: Topological Insulators and Superconductors for Innovative Devices

Magnetic Signals of High-Temperature Superconductor Bulk During the Levitation Force Measurement Process

Science.gov (United States)

Huang, Huan; Zheng, Jun; Qian, Nan; Che, Tong; Zheng, Botian; Jin, Liwei; Deng, Zigang

2017-05-01

In order to study the commonly neglected magnetic field information in the course of levitation force measurement process in a superconducting maglev system, a multipoint magnetic field measurement platform was employed to acquire magnetic signals of a bulk high-Tc superconductor on both the top and the bottom surface. Working conditions including field cooling (FC) and zero field cooling were investigated for these vertical down and up motions above a permanent magnet guideway performed on a HTS maglev measurement system. We have discussed the magnetic flux variation process based on the Bean model. A magnetic hysteresis effect similar to the levitation force hysteresis loop of the bulk superconductor was displayed and analyzed in this paper. What is more valuable, there exists some available magnetic flux on the top surface of the bulk superconductor, and the proportion is as high as 62.42% in the FC condition, which provides an experimental hint to design the superconductor bulk and the applied field for practical use in a more efficient way. In particular, this work reveals real-time magnetic flux variation of the bulk superconductor in the levitation application, which is the other important information in contrast to the macroscopic levitation and guidance force investigations in previous studies, and it enriches the existing research methods. The results are significant for understanding the magnetic characteristic of superconductors, and they can contribute to optimize the present HTS maglev system design.

Effect of exciton pairing on the stationary Josephson current in superconductor-semimetal-superconductor junctions

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Itskovich, I.F.; Shekhter, R.I.

1983-01-01

The effect of exciton pairing of charge carriers in a semimetal on the stationary Josephson current in superconductor-semimetal-superconductor junctions is considered. It is shown that the phase transition of the semimetal interlayer into an exciton dielectric state for T/sub γ/< T/sub c/ (T/sub γ/, T/sub c/ are the superconducting and exciton transition temperatures, respectively) is accompanied by a kink on the critical current j/sub c/ versus temperature curve at the point T = T/sub γ/. A sharp nonmonotonic temperature dependence of the reduced current j/sub c//j/sub c/0 (j/sub c/0 is the critical current at T/sub γ/ = 0) is also possible in the range T< T/sub γ/. At low temperatures T<< v/sub 1,2//d<< T/sub γ/ (v/sub 1,2/ are the Fermi velocities of the carriers in the semimetal, d is the thickness of the interlayer) the critical current of the superconductor-semimetal-superconductor junction is exponentially smaller than the current in the absence of exciton pairing

Method for preparation of superconductors

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Barber, A.C.; McDougall, I.L.

1975-07-10

The invention deals with a method to prepare a superconductor consisting of a superconducting compound of at least two elements. It especially deals with superconductors which surround a superconducting intermetallic compounds of at least two elements, examples of which are Nb/sub 2/Sn and Nb/sub 3/Al.

Recent status of superconductors for accelerator magnets

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Greene, A.F.

1992-01-01

A survey is given of superconductor wire and cable which has been or will be used for construction of dipole magnets for all of the large European and US superconducting accelerator rings. Included is a simplified view of the construction methods and operating requirements of an accelerator dipole magnet, with emphasis on required superconductor performance. The methods of fabricating Nb-Ti superconductors are described, including the critical parameters and materials requirements. The superconductor performance requirements are summarized in an effort to relate why these are important to accelerator designers. Some of the recently observed time dependent effects are covered briefly

Superconductor Digital Electronics: -- Current Status, Future Prospects

Science.gov (United States)

Mukhanov, Oleg

2011-03-01

Two major applications of superconductor electronics: communications and supercomputing will be presented. These areas hold a significant promise of a large impact on electronics state-of-the-art for the defense and commercial markets stemming from the fundamental advantages of superconductivity: simultaneous high speed and low power, lossless interconnect, natural quantization, and high sensitivity. The availability of relatively small cryocoolers lowered the foremost market barrier for cryogenically-cooled superconductor electronic systems. These fundamental advantages enabled a novel Digital-RF architecture - a disruptive technological approach changing wireless communications, radar, and surveillance system architectures dramatically. Practical results were achieved for Digital-RF systems in which wide-band, multi-band radio frequency signals are directly digitized and digital domain is expanded throughout the entire system. Digital-RF systems combine digital and mixed signal integrated circuits based on Rapid Single Flux Quantum (RSFQ) technology, superconductor analog filter circuits, and semiconductor post-processing circuits. The demonstrated cryocooled Digital-RF systems are the world's first and fastest directly digitizing receivers operating with live satellite signals, enabling multi-net data links, and performing signal acquisition from HF to L-band with 30 GHz clock frequencies. In supercomputing, superconductivity leads to the highest energy efficiencies per operation. Superconductor technology based on manipulation and ballistic transfer of magnetic flux quanta provides a superior low-power alternative to CMOS and other charge-transfer based device technologies. The fundamental energy consumption in SFQ circuits defined by flux quanta energy 2 x 10-19 J. Recently, a novel energy-efficient zero-static-power SFQ technology, eSFQ/ERSFQ was invented, which retains all advantages of standard RSFQ circuits: high-speed, dc power, internal memory. The

Ac losses of transposed superconductors

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Eckert, D.; Enderlein, G.; Lange, F.

1975-01-01

Eastham and Rhodes published results of loss measurements on transposed superconducting NbTi cables and concluded basing on an extrapolation to very large numbers of wires that transposed superconductors could be used favorably in cables for power transmission. There are some reasons to question the correctness of their extrapolation. Losses were calculated for transposed superconductors in self field and got results different from those of Eastham and Rhodes. Loss measurements were performed the results of which give evidence for the correctness of our calculations. The results lead to the conclusion that the use of transposed cables of irreversible type 2 superconductors for power transmission is not advantageous

Intrinsic stability of technical superconductors

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Veringa, H.J.

1981-10-01

For the operation of technical superconductors under high current density conditions, the superconducting wires composing high current cables should be intrinsically stabilized. In this report the various important stability criteria are derived and investigated on their validity. An experimental set up is made to check the occurrence of magnetic instabilities if the different applicable criteria are violated. It is found that the observed instabilities can be predicted on the basis of the model given in this report. Production of high current cables based upon composites made by the ECN technique seems to be possible. (Auth.)

Iron-Based Superconductors as Odd-Parity Superconductors

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Jiangping Hu

2013-07-01

Full Text Available Parity is a fundamental quantum number used to classify a state of matter. Materials rarely possess ground states with odd parity. We show that the superconducting state in iron-based superconductors is classified as an odd-parity s-wave spin-singlet pairing state in a single trilayer FeAs/Se, the building block of the materials. In a low-energy effective model constructed on the Fe square bipartite lattice, the superconducting order parameter in this state is a combination of an s-wave normal pairing between two sublattices and an s-wave η pairing within the sublattices. The state has a fingerprint with a real-space sign inversion between the top and bottom As/Se layers. The results suggest that iron-based superconductors are a new quantum state of matter, and the measurement of the odd parity can help to establish high-temperature superconducting mechanisms.

Nanostructuring superconductors by ion beams: A path towards materials engineering

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Gerbaldo, Roberto; Ghigo, Gianluca; Gozzelino, Laura; Laviano, Francesco [Department of Applied Science and Technology, Politecnico di Torino c.so Duca degli Abruzzi 24, 10129 Torino, Italy and INFN Sez. Torino, via P. Giuria 1, 10125 Torino (Italy); Amato, Antonino; Rovelli, Alberto [INFN Laboratori Nazionali del Sud, via S. Sofia 62, 95125 Catania (Italy); Cherubini, Roberto [INFN Laboratori Nazionali di Legnaro, viale dell' Universita 2, 35020 Legnaro (Italy)

2013-07-18

The paper deals with nanostructuring of superconducting materials by means of swift heavy ion beams. The aim is to modify their structural, optical and electromagnetic properties in a controlled way, to provide possibility of making them functional for specific applications. Results are presented concerning flux pinning effects (implantation of columnar defects with nanosize cross section to enhance critical currents and irreversibility fields), confined flux-flow and vortex guidance, design of devices by locally tailoring the superconducting material properties, analysis of disorder-induced effects in multi-band superconductors. These studies were carried out on different kinds of superconducting samples, from single crystals to thin films, from superconducting oxides to magnesium diboride, to recently discovered iron-based superconductors.

Fabrication and study of hybrid molecule/superconductor assemblies

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

McDevitt, J.T.; Haupt, S.G.; Jurbergs, D.; Riley, D.R.; Zhao, J.; Zhou, J.P.; Lo, K.; Grassi, J.; Jones, C.

1994-01-01

The fabrication of electronic devices from molecular materials has attracted much attention recently. Schottky diodes, molecular transistors, metal-insulator-semiconductor diodes, MIS field effect transistors and light emitting diodes have all been prepared utilizing such substances. The active elements in these devices have been constructed by depositing the molecular phase onto the surface of a metal, semiconductor or insulating substrate. With the recent discovery of high temperature superconductivity, new opportunities now exist for the study of molecule/superconductor interactions as well as for the construction of novel hybrid molecule/superconductor devices. In this paper, methods for preparing the first two classes of composite molecule/superconductor devices are reported. Consequently, light sensors based on organic dye-coated superconductor junctions as well as molecular switches fashioned from organic conductive polymer-coated superconductor microbridges are discussed. Moreover, the initial results related to the study of molecule/superconductor energy and electron transfer phenomena are reported

Strongly disordered superconductors

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Muttalib, K.A.

1982-01-01

We examine some universal effects of strong non-magnetic disorder on the electron-phonon and electron-electron interactions in a superconductor. In particular we explicitly take into account the effect of slow diffusion of electrons in a disordered medium by working in an exact impurity eigenstate representation. We find that the normal diffusion of electrons characterized by a constant diffusion coefficient does not lead to any significant correction to the electron-phonon or the effective electron-electron interactions in a superconductor. We then consider sufficiently strong disorder where Anderson localization of electrons becomes important and determine the effect of localization on the electron-electron interactions. We find that due to localization, the diffusion of electrons becomes anomalous in the sense that the diffusion coefficient becomes scale dependent. This results in an increase in the effective electron-electron interaction with increasing disorder. We propose that this provides a natural explanation for the unusual sensitivity of the transition temperature T/sub c/ of the high T/sub c/ superconductors (T/sub c/ > 10 0 K) to damage effects

Axial force in a superconductor magnet journal bearing

Science.gov (United States)

Postrekhin, E.; Chong, Wang; Ki Bui, Ma; Chen, Quark; Chu, Wei-Kan

Using superconductors and magnets, a journal bearing could be made from a permanent magnet cylinder in a superconductor ring. We have assembled a prototype superconductor magnet journal bearing of this configuration, and investigated the behavior of the axial force that it can provide. We have put together a numerical model of the interaction between the permanent magnet and the superconductor that is capable of describing these experimental results semi-quantitatively. Combining direct experimental measurements and using the numerical models proposed, we have achieved a qualitative understanding of the behavior of the axial force and its relationship of to the dimensions of the magnet and material quality such as the homogeneity of the superconductor that constitute the bearing.

Electromagnetic properties of metals and superconductors

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Sinha, K.P.

1977-01-01

Part 1: Metals. 1. Introduction. 1.1. Normal and anomalous skin effects. 2. Helicons and magneto-plasma waves. 3. Helicon-phonon interaction. 3.1. Magneto-plasma (Alfven) waves. 4. Cyclotron waves. 5. Spin waves in electron system. Part 2: Superconductors. 6. Introduction. 6.1. Response to weak electromagnetic fields. 7. Effect of strong radiation field on superconductors. 8. Laser-induced non-equilibrium state in superconductors. 9. Possibility of photon-induced electron pairing - one-boson processes. 10. Possibility of photon-induced electron pairing -two-boson processes. (author)

Measurement of electromagnetic force between multiple bulk superconductors; Fukusu no barukutai chodendotai to eikyujishakukairo niokeru denjiryoku sokutei

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Otani, T.; Murakami, M. [Superconductivity Research Laboratory, Tokyo (Japan); Nagashima, K. [Railway Technical Research Institute, Tokyo (Japan); Murayama, M. [Shikoku Ekectric Power Co., Inc., Kagawa (Japan)

1999-11-25

The electromagnetic force (EMF) that is exhibited by the interaction between bulk superconductors and permanent magnets is used for magnetic levitation devices. To facilitate such applications, it is necessary to enhance the EMF. We measured the EMF for Y-Ba-Cu-O superconductors with different shapes and dimensions by varying the structure of disk magnets such as their thickness and the number of poles. The EMF is strongly dependent on the magnet structure as long as permanent magnets and good quality bulk superconductors are used. Thus, for the design of practical devices, it is important to optimize the magnet structure. (author)

Sealed glass coating of high temperature ceramic superconductors

Science.gov (United States)

Wu, Weite; Chu, Cha Y.; Goretta, Kenneth C.; Routbort, Jules L.

1995-01-01

A method and article of manufacture of a lead oxide based glass coating on a high temperature superconductor. The method includes preparing a dispersion of glass powders in a solution, applying the dispersion to the superconductor, drying the dispersion before applying another coating and heating the glass powder dispersion at temperatures below oxygen diffusion onset and above the glass melting point to form a continuous glass coating on the superconductor to establish compressive stresses which enhance the fracture strength of the superconductor.

Dynamics of superconductor bearings in a cryogenic failure

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Rastogi, Amit [Department of Engineering, Cambridge University, Cambridge CB2 1PZ (United Kingdom)]. E-mail: Amit.Rastogi@avizatechnology.com; Campbell, A.M. [Department of Engineering, Cambridge University, Cambridge CB2 1PZ (United Kingdom); Coombs, T.A. [Department of Engineering, Cambridge University, Cambridge CB2 1PZ (United Kingdom)

2006-08-01

The dynamics of superconductor bearings in a cryogenic failure scenario have been analyzed. As the superconductor warms up, the rotor goes through multiple resonance frequencies, begins to slow down and finally touches down when the superconductor goes through its transition temperature. The bearing can be modelled as a system of springs with axial, radial and cross stiffness. These springs go through various resonant modes as the temperature of the superconductor begins to rise. We have presented possible explanations for such behaviour.

Deformation of high-temperature superconductors

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Goretta, K.C.; Routbort, J.L.; Miller, D.J.; Chen, N.; Dominguez-Rodriguez, A.; Jimenez-Melendo, M.; De Arellano-Lopez, A.R.

1994-08-01

Of the many families of high-temperature superconductors, only the properties of those discovered prior to 1989 - Y-Ba-Cu-O, Tl-Ba(Sr)-Ca-Cu-O, and Bi(Pb)-Sr-Ca-Cu-O - have been studied extensively. Deformation tests have been performed on YBa 2 Cu 3 O x (Y-123), YBa 2 Cu 4 O x (Y-124), TlBa 2 Ca 2 Cu 3 O x (Bi-2223). The tests have revealed that plasticity is generally limited in these compounds and that the rate-controlling diffusional kinetics for creep are very slow. Nevertheless, hot forming has proved to be quite successful for fabrication of bulk high-temperature superconductors, so long as deformation rates are low or large hydrostatic stresses are applied. Steady-state creep data have proved to be useful in designing optimal heat treatments for superconductors and in support of more-fundamental diffusion experiments. The high-temperature superconductors are highly complex oxides, and it is a challenge to understand their deformation responses. In this paper, results of interest and operant creep mechanisms will be reviewed

Iron pnictide superconductors

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Tegel, Marcus Christian

2011-03-22

The scope of this dissertation therefore has not only been the synthesis of various new superconducting and non-superconducting iron pnictides of several structural families but also their in-depth crystallographic and physical characterisation. In Chapters 3 - 6, the family of the ZrCuSiAs-type (1111) compounds is subject of discussion. The solid solution series La(Co{sub x}Fe{sub 1-x})PO is analysed regarding magnetic and superconducting properties and the new compounds EuMnPF and REZnPO, as well as the new superconductor parent compound SrFeAsF are presented. Chapters 7 - 9 are dedicated to the new iron arsenide superconductors of the ThCr{sub 2}Si{sub 2}-type (122 family). Therein, also the discovery of the first superconductor in this structural family, Ba{sub 0.6}K{sub 0.4}Fe{sub 2}As{sub 2}, is unveiled. A detailed examination of the complete solid solution series (Ba{sub 1-x}K{sub x})Fe{sub 2}As{sub 2} is presented. Moreover, the crystallographic phase transitions of the closely related compounds SrFe{sub 2}As{sub 2} and EuFe{sub 2}As{sub 2} are characterised and the superconductors Sr{sub 1-x}K{sub x}Fe{sub 2}As{sub 2} and Ca{sub 1-x}Na{sub x}Fe{sub 2}As{sub 2} are examined for magnetic and phononic excitations. In Chapter 10, the redetermined crystal structure of the superconductor Fe(Se{sub 1-x}Te{sub x}) (11-type) is presented from a chemist's point of view. Chapters 11 - 14 look into the superconducting and non-superconducting iron arsenides of more complex structural families (32522-type and 21311-type). Therein, crystallographic and magnetic details of Sr{sub 3}Sc{sub 2}O{sub 5}Fe{sub 2}As{sub 2} are presented and Ba{sub 2}ScO{sub 3}FeAs and Sr{sub 2}CrO{sub 3}FeAs, the first two members of the new 21311-type are portrayed. Sr{sub 2}CrO{sub 3}FeAs is looked at in close detail with various methods, so e.g. the spin structure of the magnetically ordered compound is solved and a possible reason for the absence of superconductivity in this compound is

Iron pnictide superconductors

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Tegel, Marcus Christian

2011-03-22

The scope of this dissertation therefore has not only been the synthesis of various new superconducting and non-superconducting iron pnictides of several structural families but also their in-depth crystallographic and physical characterisation. In Chapters 3 - 6, the family of the ZrCuSiAs-type (1111) compounds is subject of discussion. The solid solution series La(Co{sub x}Fe{sub 1-x})PO is analysed regarding magnetic and superconducting properties and the new compounds EuMnPF and REZnPO, as well as the new superconductor parent compound SrFeAsF are presented. Chapters 7 - 9 are dedicated to the new iron arsenide superconductors of the ThCr{sub 2}Si{sub 2}-type (122 family). Therein, also the discovery of the first superconductor in this structural family, Ba{sub 0.6}K{sub 0.4}Fe{sub 2}As{sub 2}, is unveiled. A detailed examination of the complete solid solution series (Ba{sub 1-x}K{sub x})Fe{sub 2}As{sub 2} is presented. Moreover, the crystallographic phase transitions of the closely related compounds SrFe{sub 2}As{sub 2} and EuFe{sub 2}As{sub 2} are characterised and the superconductors Sr{sub 1-x}K{sub x}Fe{sub 2}As{sub 2} and Ca{sub 1-x}Na{sub x}Fe{sub 2}As{sub 2} are examined for magnetic and phononic excitations. In Chapter 10, the redetermined crystal structure of the superconductor Fe(Se{sub 1-x}Te{sub x}) (11-type) is presented from a chemist's point of view. Chapters 11 - 14 look into the superconducting and non-superconducting iron arsenides of more complex structural families (32522-type and 21311-type). Therein, crystallographic and magnetic details of Sr{sub 3}Sc{sub 2}O{sub 5}Fe{sub 2}As{sub 2} are presented and Ba{sub 2}ScO{sub 3}FeAs and Sr{sub 2}CrO{sub 3}FeAs, the first two members of the new 21311-type are portrayed. Sr{sub 2}CrO{sub 3}FeAs is looked at in close detail with various methods, so e.g. the spin structure of the magnetically ordered compound is solved and a possible reason for the absence of superconductivity in this compound

Potentialities in electronics of new high critical temperature superconductors. Potentialites en electronique des nouveaux supraconducteurs a haute temperature critique

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Hartemann, P [Thomson-CSF, 75 - Paris (FR)

1989-09-01

The main electronic applications of superconductors involve the signal processing, the electromagnetic wave detection and the magnetometry. Characteristics of devices based on conventional superconductors cooled by liquid helium are given and the changes induced by incorporating high-temperature superconductors are estimated. After a survey of new superconductor properties, the superconducting devices for analog or digital signal processing are reviewed. The gains predicted for high-temperature superconducting analog devices are considered in greater detail. Different sections deal with the infrared or (sub)millimeter wave detection. The most sensitive apparatuses for magnetic measurements are based on SQUIDs. Features of SQUIDs made of granular high-temperature superconducting material samples (grain boundaries behave as barriers of intrinsic junctions) are discussed.

Surface electrostatic waves in bounded high temperature superconductors

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Averkov, Yu.O.; Yakovenko, V.M.

2008-01-01

The dispersion relations of surface electrostatic waves propagating along the surface of semi bounded layered superconductor and in the slab of layered superconductor are theoretically investigated. An arbitrary inclination of superconductor layers to the interface of a vacuum - crystal and an arbitrary direction of propagation of surface waves in the plane of the interface are taking into account. The possibility of initiation of an absolute instability during the propagation of a non-relativistic plasma stream above the surface of the layered superconductor is shown

Properties of the superconductor in accelerator dipole magnets

Science.gov (United States)

Teravest, Derk

Several aspects of the application of superconductors to high field dipole magnets for particle accelerators are discussed. The attention is focused on the 10 tesla (1 m model) magnet that is envisaged for the future Large Hadron Collider (LHC) accelerator. The basic motivation behind the study is the intention of employing superconductors to their utmost performance. An overview of practical supercomputers, their applications and their impact on high field dipole magnets used for particle accelerators, is presented. The LHC reference design for the dipole magnets is outlined. Several models were used to study the influence of a number of factors in the shape and in particular, the deviation from the shape that is due to the flux flow state. For the investigated extrinsic and intrinsic factors, a classification can be made with respect to the effect on the shape of the characteristic of a multifilamentary wire. The optimization of the coil structure for high field dipole magnets, with respect to the field quality is described. An analytical model for solid and hollow filaments, to calculate the effect of filament magnetization in the quality of the dipole field, is presented.

Improved superconductor for transmission line applications, phase I. Final report, January 1, 1975--June 30, 1975

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Braginski, A.I.; Mauser, S.F.; Roland, G.W.; Burghardt, R.R.; Daniel, M.R.; Janocko, M.A.

1975-01-01

The analysis of an existing superconducting power transmission cable design indicated that economic benefits in the area of refrigeration can be derived from the substitution of Nb 3 Ge superconductor for the presently planned Nb 3 Sn. However, the cost of Nb 3 Ge must be comparable to that of Nb 3 Sn, which is achievable when preparing Nb 3 Ge by the chemical vapor deposition. Alternatively, technical benefits can be obtained. The most essential and prerequisite requirement is that the Nb 3 Ge critical current density be improved significantly over the present state-of-the art. Other properties of Nb 3 Ge are generally suitable for the transmission line application and/or require only moderate improvements. (auth)

Low resistivity contact to iron-pnictide superconductors

Science.gov (United States)

Tanatar, Makariy; Prozorov, Ruslan; Ni, Ni; Bud& #x27; ko, Sergey; Canfield, Paul

2013-05-28

Method of making a low resistivity electrical connection between an electrical conductor and an iron pnictide superconductor involves connecting the electrical conductor and superconductor using a tin or tin-based material therebetween, such as using a tin or tin-based solder. The superconductor can be based on doped AFe.sub.2As.sub.2, where A can be Ca, Sr, Ba, Eu or combinations thereof for purposes of illustration only.

Photothermal measurements of superconductors

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Kino, G.S.; Wu, X.D.; Kapitulnik, A.; Fishman, I.

1993-01-01

The authors have developed a new photothermal technique to investigate electronic phase transitions of high temperature superconductors. The phase shift of the thermal wave yields the anisotropic thermal diffusivity coefficient of the sample. The amplitude of the photothermal signal is sensitive to electronic phase transitions of the second kind. The technique is completely noncontacting and nondestructive, and is well suited to measure small and fragile single-crystal high-T c superconductors. The measurements give good agreement with fluctuation theory near the transition temperature. They have studied diffusion in, and superconducting fluctuations of, single crystals of YBa 2 Cu 3 O 7-δ and Bi 2 Sr 2 CaCu 2 O 8 . Both systems show fluctuation effects beyond Gaussian fluctuations. While YBa 2 Cu 3 O 7-δ behaves as a three-dimensional anisotropic superconductor, results on Bi 2 Sr 2 CaCu 2 O 8 indicate strong two-dimensional effects

Report on neutron beam utilization and study of high Tc superconductors at NRI

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Tan, Vuong Huu [Nuclear Physics Dept., Nuclear Research Inst. (NRI), Dalat (Viet Nam)

1998-10-01

Utilization of reactor neutron beams at NRI for research and applications up to November 1996 had been presented at the last Workshop in Jakarta (25-28 Nov., 1996). This paper describes new research and applications carried out at Nuclear Physics Department of NRI after that time. They consist of neutron beam developments, neutron activation cross section measurements for waste disposal assessment and in-vivo prompt gamma neutron activation analysis for Cd determination in organs. After the last Sub-Workshop on Neutron Scattering in Serpong (21-23 Nov., 1996), we were accepted to participate in the Regional Program on Study of High Tc Superconductors with the topic `The mechanism of Pb and Sb dopant role on superconductivity of 2223 phase of Bi-Sr-Ca-Cu-O system`. Indeed, this study has begun at NRI only since August, 1997 due to the problem of materials. The study has been carried out in collaboration with the Hanoi State University (Superconductors Department) where experts and equipment for superconductors research have been considered as the best ones in Vietnam. Primary results in this study are presented in this workshop. (author)

Partially spin-polarized Josephson tunneling between non-centrosymmetric superconductors like CePt3Si

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Mandal, S.S.; Mukherjee, S.P.

2007-01-01

Full text: The recent discovery of the superconductivity in the heavy fermionic compound CePt 3 Si have attracted much of the attention of the physics community. The presence of strong Rashba kind of spin-orbit coupling in them split the otherwise degenerate electronic band into two nondegenerate bands. This peculiarity in the band structure gives rise to complicated kind of order parameter whose exact nature is unknown till date. Traditionally Josephson junctions in superconductors draw interest both scientifically and its applicability in making devices. It has been used in several cases as a probe to the order parameter symmetry of the superconductor. It has also been studied in unconventional superconductors like spin-singlet cuprate and spin-triplet Sr 2 RuO 4 superconductors. However no Josephson junction between nonmagnetic superconductors is known to generate spin-polarized current. The purpose of this work is to theoretically show that the direction dependent tunneling matrix element across the junction between two recently discovered non-centrosymmetric superconductors like CePt 3 Si, leads to tunneling of both spin-singlet and spin-triplet Cooper pairs. As a consequence, nonvanishing spin-Josephson current is viable along with the usual charge-Josephson current. This novel spin-Josephson current depends on the relative angle xi between the axes of non-centrosymmetry {n} L and that {n} R in the left and right side of the junction respectively. This angular dependence may be used to make Josephson spin switch. (authors)

GaN/NbN epitaxial semiconductor/superconductor heterostructures

Science.gov (United States)

Yan, Rusen; Khalsa, Guru; Vishwanath, Suresh; Han, Yimo; Wright, John; Rouvimov, Sergei; Katzer, D. Scott; Nepal, Neeraj; Downey, Brian P.; Muller, David A.; Xing, Huili G.; Meyer, David J.; Jena, Debdeep

2018-03-01

Epitaxy is a process by which a thin layer of one crystal is deposited in an ordered fashion onto a substrate crystal. The direct epitaxial growth of semiconductor heterostructures on top of crystalline superconductors has proved challenging. Here, however, we report the successful use of molecular beam epitaxy to grow and integrate niobium nitride (NbN)-based superconductors with the wide-bandgap family of semiconductors—silicon carbide, gallium nitride (GaN) and aluminium gallium nitride (AlGaN). We apply molecular beam epitaxy to grow an AlGaN/GaN quantum-well heterostructure directly on top of an ultrathin crystalline NbN superconductor. The resulting high-mobility, two-dimensional electron gas in the semiconductor exhibits quantum oscillations, and thus enables a semiconductor transistor—an electronic gain element—to be grown and fabricated directly on a crystalline superconductor. Using the epitaxial superconductor as the source load of the transistor, we observe in the transistor output characteristics a negative differential resistance—a feature often used in amplifiers and oscillators. Our demonstration of the direct epitaxial growth of high-quality semiconductor heterostructures and devices on crystalline nitride superconductors opens up the possibility of combining the macroscopic quantum effects of superconductors with the electronic, photonic and piezoelectric properties of the group III/nitride semiconductor family.

Experiments on the rf surface resistance of the perovskite superconductors at 3 GHz

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Hein, M.; Klein, N.; Mueller, G.; Piel, H.; Roeth, R.W.

1988-01-01

Since the discovery of the perovskite superconductors many experiments to explore their physical properties have been performed and various potential applications have been considered. The high critical temperature of more than 90 K obtained with Y 1 Ba 2 Cu 3 O/sub 7-δ/ (Y may be substituted by other rare earth elements) makes these superconductors interesting for applications in microwave technology. This has focused the authors interest on the investigation of their rf properties. Due to the sensitivity of the rf surface resistance to surface impurities and remaining non superconducting phases rf measurements are a good means to provide useful information about the quality of sample preparation and about physical properties of the superconductor itself. This contribution reports on the experimental determination of the rf surface resistance of Y 1 Ba 2 Cu 3 O/sub 7-δ/ and Eu 1 Ba 2 Cu 3 O/sub 7-δ/ in the normal and superconducting state at 3 GHz. In the first chapter the preparation of the ceramic samples and initial dc experiments are described. The main part of the paper describes the rf measurements which are performed in a superconducting niobium host cavity. The obtained results for both the surface resistance and the high field performance are discussed with respect to the preparation of the samples and regarding possible applications. 7 references, 7 figures, 2 tables

Topological superconductors: a review.

Science.gov (United States)

Sato, Masatoshi; Ando, Yoichi

2017-07-01

This review elaborates pedagogically on the fundamental concept, basic theory, expected properties, and materials realizations of topological superconductors. The relation between topological superconductivity and Majorana fermions are explained, and the difference between dispersive Majorana fermions and a localized Majorana zero mode is emphasized. A variety of routes to topological superconductivity are explained with an emphasis on the roles of spin-orbit coupling. Present experimental situations and possible signatures of topological superconductivity are summarized with an emphasis on intrinsic topological superconductors.

Electrochemical treatment of an oxide material, application to superconductors, and obtained superconductors. Procede de traitement electrochimique d'un materiau sous forme oxyde, application aux supraconducteurs et supraconducteurs ainsi obtenus

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Grenier, J C; Pouchard, M; Wattiaux, A

1991-06-07

The present invention describes the electrochemical treatment of a superconductor oxide so as to modify its stoichiometry. These materials comprise in their anionic lattice oxygenated and hydrogenated species. These treated materials are prepared by an electrochemical process in which the oxide is an electrode in a liquid electrolysis. 3 refs., 3 figs.

Neutron-scattering studies of magnetic superconductors

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Sinha, S.K.; Crabtree, G.W.; Hinks, D.G.; Mook, H.A.; Pringle, O.A.

1982-01-01

Results obtained in the last few years obtained by neutron diffraction on the nature of the magnetic ordering in magnetic superconductors are reviewed. Emphasis is given to studies of the complex intermediate phase in ferromagnetic superconductors where both superconductivity and ferromagnetism appear to coexist

PdTe: a 4.5 K type-II BCS superconductor

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Tiwari, Brajesh; Goyal, Reena; Jha, Rajveer; Awana, V P S; Dixit, Ambesh

2015-01-01

We report on the structure and physical properties of the polycrystalline PdTe superconductor, which is synthesized by the solid state reaction route via the quartz vacuum encapsulation technique at 750 °C. The as synthesized compound is crystallized in hexagonal crystal structure with P63/mmc space group. Both transport and magnetic measurements showed that PdTe is a bulk superconductor below 4.5 K. Isothermal magnetization (MH) and magneto-transport (R(T)H) measurements provided the values of the lower (H c1 ) and upper (H c2 ) critical fields as 250 Oe and 1200 Oe respectively at 2 K, establishing that the compound is clearly a type-II superconductor. The coherence length (ξ 0 ) and Ginzburg–Landau parameter (κ) are estimated from the experimentally determined upper and lower critical fields, and are 449 Å and 1.48 respectively. Thermodynamic heat capacity measurements under different magnetic fields, i.e. C p (T)H, showed a clear transition at 4.5 K (T c ), which shifts gradually to lower temperatures with application of field. The values of Debye temperature (Θ D ) and electronic specific heat coefficient (γ) obtained from C p (T) data are found to be 203 K and 6.01 mJ mol −1 K −2 . The observed specific heat jump (ΔC/γT c ) is 1.33, thus suggesting a possible weak coupling case for the PdTe superconductor. (paper)

Ground state, collective mode, phase soliton and vortex in multiband superconductors.

Science.gov (United States)

Lin, Shi-Zeng

2014-12-10

This article reviews theoretical and experimental work on the novel physics in multiband superconductors. Multiband superconductors are characterized by multiple superconducting energy gaps in different bands with interaction between Cooper pairs in these bands. The discovery of prominent multiband superconductors MgB2 and later iron-based superconductors, has triggered enormous interest in multiband superconductors. The most recently discovered superconductors exhibit multiband features. The multiband superconductors possess novel properties that are not shared with their single-band counterpart. Examples include: the time-reversal symmetry broken state in multiband superconductors with frustrated interband couplings; the collective oscillation of number of Cooper pairs between different bands, known as the Leggett mode; and the phase soliton and fractional vortex, which are the main focus of this review. This review presents a survey of a wide range of theoretical exploratory and experimental investigations of novel physics in multiband superconductors. A vast amount of information derived from these studies is shown to highlight unusual and unique properties of multiband superconductors and to reveal the challenges and opportunities in the research on the multiband superconductivity.

Electromagnetic wave absorption in high-Tc superconductors and its application

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Porjesz, T.; Khatiashvili, N.; Kovacs, Gy.; Leppavuori, S.; Uusimaki, A.; Kokkomaki, T.; Hagberg, J.

1995-08-01

The experimental study of the electromagnetic wave absorption of high-Tc superconductors subjected to small magnetic fields has been extended to a wide frequency range. The results obtained show an almost frequency independent behaviour in the 4 MHz - 20 GHz region. The measurement technique for the high frequency regime was developed in such a way that the sensitivity increased so much that the sample under investigation could be used as a very sensitive magnetic field detector, too. (author). 4 refs, 8 figs, 1 tab

A Double-Decker Levitation Experiment Using a Sandwich of Superconductors.

Science.gov (United States)

Jacob, Anthony T.; And Others

1988-01-01

Shows that the mutual repulsion that enables a superconductor to levitate a magnet and a magnet to levitate a superconductor can be combined into a single demonstration. Uses an overhead projector, two pellets of "1-2-3" superconductor, Nd-Fe-B magnets, liquid nitrogen, and paraffin. Offers superconductor preparation, hazards, and disposal…

Impurities and conductivity in a D-wave superconductor

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Balatsky, A.V.

1994-01-01

Impurity scattering in the unitary limit produces low energy quasiparticles with anisotropic spectrum in a two-dimensional d-wave superconductor. The authors describe a new quasi-one-dimensional limit of the quasiparticle scattering, which might occur in a superconductor with short coherence length and with finite impurity potential range. The dc conductivity in a d-wave superconductor is predicted to be proportional to the normal state scattering rate and is impurity-dependent. They show that quasi-one-dimensional regime might occur in high-T c superconductors with Zn impurities at low temperatures T approx-lt 10 K

Mixed State of a Dirty Two-Band Superconductor: Application to MgB2

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Koshelev, A.E.; Golubov, Alexandre Avraamovitch

2003-01-01

We investigate the vortex state in a two-band superconductor with strong intraband and weak interband electronic scattering rates. Coupled Usadel equations are solved numerically, and the distributions of the pair potentials and local densities of states are calculated for two bands at different

The color of polarization in cuprate superconductors

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Hoff, H.A.; Osofsky, M.S.; Lechter, W.L.; Pande, C.S.

1991-01-01

A technique for the identification of individual anisotropic grains in a heterogeneous and opaque material involves the observation of grain color in reflected light through crossed polarizers (color of polarization). Such colors are generally characteristic of particular phases. When grains of many members of the class of hole carrier cuprate superconductors are so viewed at room temperature with a 'daylight' source, a characteristic color of polarization is observed. This color was studied in many of these cuprate superconductors and a strong correlation was found between color and the existence of superconductivity. Two members were also examined of the electron cuprate superconductors and it was found that they possess the same color of polarization as the hole carrier cuprate superconductors so far examined. The commonality of the characteristic color regardless of charge carrier indicates that the presence of this color is independent of carrier type. The correlation of this color with the existence of superconductivity in the cuprate superconductors suggests that the origin of the color relates to the origin of superconductivity. Photometric techniques are also discussed

Out-of-equilibrium spin transport in mesoscopic superconductors.

Science.gov (United States)

Quay, C H L; Aprili, M

2018-08-06

The excitations in conventional superconductors, Bogoliubov quasi-particles, are spin-[Formula: see text] fermions but their charge is energy-dependent and, in fact, zero at the gap edge. Therefore, in superconductors (unlike normal metals) spin and charge degrees of freedom may be separated. In this article, we review spin injection into conventional superconductors and focus on recent experiments on mesoscopic superconductors. We show how quasi-particle spin transport and out-of-equilibrium spin-dependent superconductivity can be triggered using the Zeeman splitting of the quasi-particle density of states in thin-film superconductors with small spin-mixing scattering. Finally, we address the spin dynamics and the feedback of quasi-particle spin imbalances on the amplitude of the superconducting energy gap.This article is part of the theme issue 'Andreev bound states'. © 2018 The Author(s).

Topological insulators and superconductors from string theory

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Ryu, Shinsei; Takayanagi, Tadashi

2010-01-01

Topological insulators and superconductors in different spatial dimensions and with different discrete symmetries have been fully classified recently, revealing a periodic structure for the pattern of possible types of topological insulators and superconductors, both in terms of spatial dimensions and in terms of symmetry classes. It was proposed that K theory is behind the periodicity. On the other hand, D-branes, a solitonic object in string theory, are also known to be classified by K theory. In this paper, by inspecting low-energy effective field theories realized by two parallel D-branes, we establish a one-to-one correspondence between the K-theory classification of topological insulators/superconductors and D-brane charges. In addition, the string theory realization of topological insulators and superconductors comes naturally with gauge interactions, and the Wess-Zumino term of the D-branes gives rise to a gauge field theory of topological nature, such as ones with the Chern-Simons term or the θ term in various dimensions. This sheds light on topological insulators and superconductors beyond noninteracting systems, and the underlying topological field theory description thereof. In particular, our string theory realization includes the honeycomb lattice Kitaev model in two spatial dimensions, and its higher-dimensional extensions. Increasing the number of D-branes naturally leads to a realization of topological insulators and superconductors in terms of holography (AdS/CFT).

Static Properties of Superconductor Journal Bearing Substator for Superconductor Flywheel Energy Storage System

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Park, B. J.; Jung, S. Y.; Lee, J. P.; Park, B. C.; Jeong, N. H.; Sung, T. H.; Han, Y. H.

2008-01-01

A Superconductor Flywheel Energy Storage System(SFES) mainly consists of a pair of non-contacting High Temperature Superconductor(HTS) bearings that provide very low frictional losses, a composite flywheel with high energy storage density. The HTS bearings, which offer dynamic stability without active control, are the key technology that distinguishes the SFES from other flywheel energy storage devices, and great effort is being put into developing this technology. The Superconductor Journal Bearing(SJB) mainly consists of HTS bulks and a stator, which holds the HTS bulks and also acts as a cold head. Static properties of HTS bearings provide data to solve problems which may occur easily in a running system. Since stiffness to counter vibration is the main parameter in designing an HTS bearing system, we investigate SJB magnetic force through static properties between the Permanent Magnet(PM) and HTS. We measure stiffness in static condition and the results are used to determine the optimal number of HTS bulks for a 100kWh SFES.

Flux-pinning-induced stress and magnetostriction in bulk superconductors

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Johansen, Tom H.

2000-01-01

The development of bulk high-temperature superconductors (HTSs) and their applications has today come to a point where the mechanical response to high magnetic fields may be more important than their critical-current density and large-grain property. Reviewed in this article are the recent studies of the magneto-elastic effects which are caused by flux pinning in the superconductors. This includes the work on the giant irreversible magnetostriction and internal stress, which often cause fatal cracking of the HTS bulks as they become magnetized. The cracking is a problem that today accompanies the quest for the highest trapped field values, and the latest development in this area is also presented. While the first part is an overview of experimental efforts, the second summarizes the work done to model the pinning-induced stress and strain under various magnetic and geometrical conditions. (author)

Ternary superconductors

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Giorgi, A.L.

1987-01-01

Ternary superconductors constitute a class of superconducting compounds with exceptional properties such as high transition temperatures (≅ 15.2 K), extremely high critical fields (H c2 >60 Tesla), and the coexistence of superconductivity and long-range magnetic order. This has generated great interest in the scientific community and resulted in a large number of experimental and theoretical investigations in which many new ternary compounds have been discovered. A review of some of the properties of these ternary compounds is presented with particular emphasis on the ternary molybdenum chalcogenides and the ternary rare earth transition metal tetraborides. The effect of partial substitution of a second metal atom to form pseudoternary compounds is examined as well as some of the proposed correlations between the superconducting transition temperature and the structural and electronic properties of the ternary superconductors

Low resistivity contacts to YBa2Cu3O(7-x) superconductors

Science.gov (United States)

Hsi, Chi-Shiung; Haertling, Gene H.

1991-01-01

Silver, gold, platinum, and palladium metals were investigated as electroding materials for the YBa2Cu3O(7-x) superconductors. Painting, embedding, and melting techniques were used to apply the electrodes. Contact resistivities were determined by: (1) type of electrode; (2) firing conditions; and (3) application method. Electrodes fired for long times exhibited lower contact resistivities than those fired for short times. Low-resistivity contacts were found for silver and gold electrodes. Silver, which made good ohmic contact to the YBa2Cu3O(7-x) superconductor with low contact resistivities was found to be the best electroding material among the materials evaluated in this investigation.

Design study of SMES system using high temperature superconductors

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Yoshihara, T.; Masuda, M.; Shintomi, T.; Hasegawa, J.

1988-01-01

Various studies of high Tc superconductors are being energetically pursued all over the world, since IBM Zurich Research Laboratory reported on the superconducting oxide. A new design using a high Tc superconductor is under study for 5000 MWh, on the assumption that it is available like conventional superconductors. Problems related to the Tc SMES system, mainly thermal insulation, refrigeration system, stability of superconductors, etc., are considered. Some design examples of high Tc SMES system are proposed

The critical current of granular superconductor

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Ignat'ev, V.K.

1998-01-01

A mechanism of hyper vortex pinning in granular superconductors is proposed to describe the field dependence of the critical current density and pinning potential. The results are in a good agreement with the experiment. The model represents the peak effect and the percolation mechanism of conductivity in ceramic superconductors

Compact terahertz passive spectrometer with wideband superconductor-insulator-superconductor mixer.

Science.gov (United States)

Kikuchi, K; Kohjiro, S; Yamada, T; Shimizu, N; Wakatsuki, A

2012-02-01

We developed a compact terahertz (THz) spectrometer with a superconductor-insulator-superconductor (SIS) mixer, aiming to realize a portable and highly sensitive spectrometer to detect dangerous gases at disaster sites. The receiver cryostat which incorporates the SIS mixer and a small cryocooler except for a helium compressor has a weight of 27 kg and dimensions of 200 mm × 270 mm × 690 mm. In spite of the small cooling capacity of the cryocooler, the SIS mixer is successfully cooled lower than 4 K, and the temperature variation is suppressed for the sensitive measurement. By adopting a frequency sweeping system using photonic local oscillator, we demonstrated a spectroscopic measurement of CH(3)CN gas in 0.2-0.5 THz range.

Integration of semiconductor and ceramic superconductor devices for microwave applications

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Klopman, B.B.G.; Weijers, H.W.; Gao, J.; Gerritsma, G.J.; Rogalla, H.

1991-01-01

Due to the very low-loss properties of ceramic superconductors high-performance microwave resonators and filters can be realized. The fact that these devices may be operated at liquid nitrogen temperature, facilitates the integration with semiconductor devices. Examples are bandpass amplifiers, microwave-operated SQUIDs combined with GaAs preamplifiers, detectors, and MOSFET low-frequency amplifiers. This paper discusses the design of such circuits on a single one inch alumina substrate using surface mount techniques. Furthermore data on circuits that have been realized in our laboratory will be presented

The discovery and some properties of high-T superconductors; El descubrimiento y algunas propiedades de los superconductores de altas temperaturas

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Mueller, Karl A [Zurich Univ. (Switzerland)

1997-12-31

Full text: Starting with the first observation of superconductivity in an oxide, the history of its development is traced. Basically and consecutively, three kinds of oxide superconductors have been found. Compounds with normal transition-metal condition bands, oxides with cations exhibiting charge disproportion, and finally the cuprates with large coulomb on-site repulsion, U. This discussion will lead over to a characterization of the highest-T materials both concerning their physical properties and application perspectives.

An unconventional colour superconductor

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Huang Mei

2007-01-01

Superfluidity, or superconductivity with mismatched Fermi momenta, appears in many systems such as charge-neutral dense quark matter, asymmetric nuclear matter, and in imbalanced cold atomic gases. The mismatch plays the role of breaking the Cooper pairing, and the pair-breaking state cannot be properly described in the framework of standard BCS theory. I give a brief review on recent theoretical developments in understanding unconventional colour superconductivity, including a gapless colour superconductor, chromomagnetic instabilities and the Higgs instability in the gapless phase. I also introduce a possible new framework for describing an unconventional colour superconductor

Theory of the electric current transmission coefficient in the superconductor-insulator-superconductor geometry

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Navani, R.

1974-01-01

Tunneling in the superconductor-insulator-superconductor (S'-I-S) geometry, where the two superconductors are not necessarily the same, is studied theoretically. Two different models of the S'-I-S geometry - which we call the ''initial model'' and the ''improved model'' are discussed. For the initial model the potential barrier is flat. In the improved model, however, the differing material properties of the three regions - S', I, and S - are taken into account in an approximate fashion. In addition, applied, contact, and image potentials in the insulator are included. The solid state material properties that are taken to be different are the effective electronic masses in the three regions and the Fermi energies in the two superconductors. The quasiparticle wave functions in the S', I, and S regions are determined for both models as solutions to the Bogoliubov-de Gennes equations. The electric current transmission coefficients (also the reflection coefficient for the initial model) are derived and their behavior is extensively analyzed. Their forms in the thick barrier limit - where L greater than or approximately equal to 5 A - are related to the BCS densities of states. The tunneling current density is found to depend strongly on the tunneling angle. A relation between the angular position of the tunneling current peak and the barrier thickness is given. Finally, it is shown that the choice of insulator material effects the tunneling current, and the effect is greater the thicker the insulating film

System and method for quench protection of a superconductor

Science.gov (United States)

Huang, Xianrui; Sivasubramaniam, Kiruba Haran; Bray, James William; Ryan, David Thomas

2008-03-11

A system and method for protecting a superconductor from a quench condition. A quench protection system is provided to protect the superconductor from damage due to a quench condition. The quench protection system comprises a voltage detector operable to detect voltage across the superconductor. The system also comprises a frequency filter coupled to the voltage detector. The frequency filter is operable to couple voltage signals to a control circuit that are representative of a rise in superconductor voltage caused by a quench condition and to block voltage signals that are not. The system is operable to detect whether a quench condition exists in the superconductor based on the voltage signal received via the frequency filter and to initiate a protective action in response.

Intermetallic superconductors - The state of development in 1991

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Forsyth, E.

1991-01-01

The commercial fabrication of intermetallic superconductors has reached a high degree of maturity in the past thirty years. The only significant, commercial requirement for superconducting wire is the construction of magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) devices for medical diagnosis. In addition to this demand there are one-time projects such as a high energy particle accelerators which often need considerable quantities of superconducting material over the few years of construction. R and D projects also provide a fluctuating market for superconducting materials, in the past the projects have included power apparatus such as generators, motors, energy storage and transmission cables, and magnets for experimental fusion reactors. Superconducting magnetically levitated trains have undergone full scale trials in Japan and Germany. This is by no means a comprehensive list of all the possible applications. Virtually all the devices requiring a magnetic field to be produced by superconducting windings have used NbTi wire, but a few experimental Nb 3 Sn high field magnets have been constructed. In the case of these materials commercial vendors can provide a high degree of quality assurance on such characteristics as critical current, coupling effects and mechanical tolerances. This paper discusses the market for intermetallic and ceramic superconductors, their fabrication properties, applications, and cost

Effective Ginzburg–Landau free energy functional for multi-band isotropic superconductors

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Grigorishin, Konstantin V.

2016-01-01

Highlights: • The intergradient coupling of order parameters in a two-band superconductor plays important role and cannot be neglected. • A two-band superconductor must be characterized with a single coherence length and a single Ginzburg–Landau parameter. • Type-1.5 superconductors are impossible. • The free energy functional for a multi-band superconductor can be reduced to the effective single-band Ginzburg–Landau functional. - Abstract: It has been shown that interband mixing of gradients of two order parameters (drag effect) in an isotropic bulk two-band superconductor plays important role – such a quantity of the intergradients coupling exists that the two-band superconductor is characterized with a single coherence length and a single Ginzburg–Landau (GL) parameter. Other quantities or neglecting of the drag effect lead to existence of two coherence lengths and dynamical instability due to violation of the phase relations between the order parameters. Thus so-called type-1.5 superconductors are impossible. An approximate method for solving of set of GL equations for a multi-band superconductor has been developed: using the result about the drag effect it has been shown that the free-energy functional for a multi-band superconductor can be reduced to the GL functional for an effective single-band superconductor.

Permanent magnet with MgB{sub 2} bulk superconductor

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Yamamoto, Akiyasu, E-mail: yamamoto@appchem.t.u-tokyo.ac.jp [The University of Tokyo, 7-3-1 Hongo, Bunkyo, Tokyo 113-8656 (Japan); JST-PRESTO, 4-1-8 Honcho, Kawaguchi, Saitama 332-0012 (Japan); Ishihara, Atsushi; Tomita, Masaru [Railway Technical Research Institute, 2-8-38 Hikari, Kokubunji, Tokyo 185-8540 (Japan); Kishio, Kohji [The University of Tokyo, 7-3-1 Hongo, Bunkyo, Tokyo 113-8656 (Japan)

2014-07-21

Superconductors with persistent zero-resistance currents serve as permanent magnets for high-field applications requiring a strong and stable magnetic field, such as magnetic resonance imaging. The recent global helium shortage has quickened research into high-temperature superconductors (HTSs)—materials that can be used without conventional liquid-helium cooling to 4.2 K. Herein, we demonstrate that 40-K-class metallic HTS magnesium diboride (MgB{sub 2}) makes an excellent permanent bulk magnet, maintaining 3 T at 20 K for 1 week with an extremely high stability (<0.1 ppm/h). The magnetic field trapped in this magnet is uniformly distributed, as for single-crystalline neodymium-iron-boron. Magnetic hysteresis loop of the MgB{sub 2} permanent bulk magnet was determined. Because MgB{sub 2} is a simple-binary-line compound that does not contain rare-earth metals, polycrystalline bulk material can be industrially fabricated at low cost and with high yield to serve as strong magnets that are compatible with conventional compact cryocoolers, making MgB{sub 2} bulks promising for the next generation of Tesla-class permanent-magnet applications.

Magnetic relaxation, flux pinning and critical currents in superconductors

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Lichtenberger, K.S.

1991-01-01

A systematic study of the magnetic flux pinning properties in superconductors has been undertaken in an attempt to understand the differences between the flux creep behavior of classical superconductors and high-temperature superconductors (HTSC's). In HTSC's, the ratio of the effective flux pinning energy to the thermal energy, U 0 /kT, is much smaller than that of conventional superconductors, often approaching unity. This results in much larger creep rates in HTSC's than in conventional superconductors. It is necessary to find suitable models that describe flux creep in both classical superconductors and HTSC's. Results show that while these two classes of materials are quantitatively very different, a single pinning barrier mode adequately describes both, within the proper region of the H-T plane. The model is applied to a variety of superconductors and the results are contrasted. Although the H-T plane appears to be very different HTSC's than for conventional superconductors, qualitatively the same physics describes both. In HTSC's, near the upper critical field there exists a relatively wide region of superconducting fluctuations, followed successively by regions of thermodynamic reversibility, thermally assisted flux, flux creep, and finally rigid flux lattice where little, if any, motion of the flux lattice occurs. All of these regions are also present in conventional superconductors, but often much more difficult, especially the irreversibility transition and the fluctuation region. The central finding of the flux creep analysis is that the region of flux creep is defined as a band in the H-T plane in which 2 ≤ U 0 /kT ≤ 100, and that the flux creep model applies best within this band

Electronic structure and superconductivity of FeSe-related superconductors.

Science.gov (United States)

Liu, Xu; Zhao, Lin; He, Shaolong; He, Junfeng; Liu, Defa; Mou, Daixiang; Shen, Bing; Hu, Yong; Huang, Jianwei; Zhou, X J

2015-05-13

FeSe superconductors and their related systems have attracted much attention in the study of iron-based superconductors owing to their simple crystal structure and peculiar electronic and physical properties. The bulk FeSe superconductor has a superconducting transition temperature (Tc) of ~8 K and it can be dramatically enhanced to 37 K at high pressure. On the other hand, its cousin system, FeTe, possesses a unique antiferromagnetic ground state but is non-superconducting. Substitution of Se with Te in the FeSe superconductor results in an enhancement of Tc up to 14.5 K and superconductivity can persist over a large composition range in the Fe(Se,Te) system. Intercalation of the FeSe superconductor leads to the discovery of the AxFe2-ySe2 (A = K, Cs and Tl) system that exhibits a Tc higher than 30 K and a unique electronic structure of the superconducting phase. A recent report of possible high temperature superconductivity in single-layer FeSe/SrTiO3 films with a Tc above 65 K has generated much excitement in the community. This pioneering work opens a door for interface superconductivity to explore for high Tc superconductors. The distinct electronic structure and superconducting gap, layer-dependent behavior and insulator-superconductor transition of the FeSe/SrTiO3 films provide critical information in understanding the superconductivity mechanism of iron-based superconductors. In this paper, we present a brief review of the investigation of the electronic structure and superconductivity of the FeSe superconductor and related systems, with a particular focus on the FeSe films.

Non-equilibrium spectroscopy of high-Tc superconductors

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Krasnov, V M

2009-01-01

In superconductors, recombination of two non-equilibrium quasiparticles into a Cooper pair results in emission of excitation that mediates superconductivity. This is the basis of the proposed new type of 'non-equilibrium' spectroscopy of high T c superconductors, which may open a possibility for direct and unambiguous determination of the coupling mechanism of high T c superconductivity. In case of low T c superconductors, the feasibility of such the non-equilibrium spectroscopy was demonstrated in classical phonon generation-detection experiments almost four decades ago. Recently it was demonstrated that a similar technique can be used for high T c superconductors, using natural intrinsic Josephson junctions both for injection of non-equilibrium quasiparticles and for detection of the non-equilibrium radiation. Here I analyze theoretically non-equilibrium phenomena in intrinsic Josephson junctions. It is shown that extreme non-equilibrium state can be achieved at bias equal to integer number of the gap voltage, which can lead to laser-like emission from the stack. I argue that identification of the boson type, constituting this non-equilibrium radiation would unambiguously reveal the coupling mechanism of high Tc superconductors.

Pair breaking and charge relaxation in superconductors

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Nielson, J.B.; Pethick, C.J.; Rammer, J.; Smith, H.

1982-01-01

We present a general formalism based on the quasiclassical Green's function for calculating charge imbalance in nonequilibrium superconductors. Our discussion is sufficiently general that it applies at arbitrary temperatures, and under conditions when the width of quasiparticle states are appreciable due to pair breaking processes, and when strong coupling effects are significant. As a first application we demonstrate in detail how in the limit of smallpair breaking and for a weak coupling superconductor the collision term in the formalism reduces to the one in the quasiparticle Boltzmann equation. We next treat the case of charge imbalance generated by tunnel injection, with pair breaking by phonons and magnetic impurities. Over the range of temperatures investigated exerimentally to date, the calculated charge imbalance is rather close to that evaluated using the Boltzmann equation, even if pair braeking is so strong as almost to destroy superconductivity. Finally we consider charge imbalance generated by the combined influence of a supercurrent and a temperature gradient. We give calculations for a dirty superconductor with scattering by phonons as the pair breaking mechanism, and the results give a reasonable account of the experimental data of Clarke, Fjordboge, and Lindelof. We carry out calculations for the case of impurity scattering along which are valid not only in the clean and dirty limits, but also for intermediate situations. These enable us to see how the large contribution to the charge imbalance found for energies close to the gap edge in the clean case is reduced with increasing impurity scattering

Method for estimating failure probabilities of structural components and its application to fatigue problem of internally cooled superconductors

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Shibui, M.

1989-01-01

A new method for fatigue-life assessment of a component containing defects is presented such that a probabilistic approach is incorporated into the CEGB two-criteria method. The present method assumes that aspect ratio of initial defect, proportional coefficient of fatigue crack growth law and threshold stress intensity range are treated as random variables. Examples are given to illustrate application of the method to the reliability analysis of conduit for an internally cooled cabled superconductor (ICCS) subjected to cyclic quench pressure. The possible failure mode and mechanical properties contributing to the fatigue life of the thin conduit are discussed using analytical and experimental results. 9 refs., 9 figs

Coherent diffusive transport mediated by Andreev reflections at V=Delta/e in a mesoscopic superconductor/semiconductor/superconductor junction

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Kutchinsky, Jonatan; Taboryski, Rafael Jozef; Kuhn, Oliver

1997-01-01

We present experiments revealing a singularity in the coherent current across a superconductor/semiconductor/superconductor (SSmS) junction at the bias voltage corresponding to the superconducting energy gap V=Delta/e. The SSmS structure consists of highly doped GaAs with superconducting electrodes...

Synthesis of highly phase pure BSCCO superconductors

Science.gov (United States)

Dorris, S.E.; Poeppel, R.B.; Prorok, B.C.; Lanagan, M.T.; Maroni, V.A.

1995-11-21

An article and method of manufacture (Bi, Pb)-Sr-Ca-Cu-O superconductor are disclosed. The superconductor is manufactured by preparing a first powdered mixture of bismuth oxide, lead oxide, strontium carbonate, calcium carbonate and copper oxide. A second powdered mixture is then prepared of strontium carbonate, calcium carbonate and copper oxide. The mixtures are calcined separately with the two mixtures then combined. The resulting combined mixture is then subjected to a powder in tube deformation and thermal processing to produce a substantially phase pure (Bi, Pb)-Sr-Ca-Cu-O superconductor. 5 figs.

Superconductor in a weak static gravitational field

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Ummarino, Giovanni Alberto [Dipartimento DISAT, Politecnico di Torino, Turin (Italy); National Research Nuclear University MEPhI-Moscow Engineering Physics Institute, Moscow (Russian Federation); Gallerati, Antonio [Dipartimento DISAT, Politecnico di Torino, Turin (Italy)

2017-08-15

We provide the detailed calculation of a general form for Maxwell and London equations that takes into account gravitational corrections in linear approximation. We determine the possible alteration of a static gravitational field in a superconductor making use of the time-dependent Ginzburg-Landau equations, providing also an analytic solution in the weak field condition. Finally, we compare the behavior of a high-T{sub c} superconductor with a classical low-T{sub c} superconductor, analyzing the values of the parameters that can enhance the reduction of the gravitational field. (orig.)

Fluxons in thin-film superconductor-insulator superlattices

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Sakai, S.; Bodin, P.; Pedersen, Niels Falsig

1993-01-01

In a system of thin alternating layers of superconductors and insulators the equations describing static and dynamic fluxon solutions are derived. The approach, represented by a useful compact matrix form, is intended to describe systems fabricated for example of niobium or niobium-nitride thin...... films; in the limit of ultrathin superconductor films it may give a model for describing fluxon motion in layered high-Tc superconductors. Numerical examples of current versus voltage curves to be expected in such an experiment are presented. Journal of Applied Physics is copyrighted by The American...

Fracture toughness for copper oxide superconductors

Science.gov (United States)

Goretta, Kenneth C.; Kullberg, Marc L.

1993-01-01

An oxide-based strengthening and toughening agent, such as tetragonal Zro.sub.2 particles, has been added to copper oxide superconductors, such as superconducting YBa.sub.2 Cu.sub.3 O.sub.x (123) to improve its fracture toughness (K.sub.IC). A sol-gel coating which is non-reactive with the superconductor, such as Y.sub.2 BaCuO.sub.5 (211) on the ZrO.sub.2 particles minimized the deleterious reactions between the superconductor and the toughening agent dispersed therethrough. Addition of 20 mole percent ZrO.sub.2 coated with 211 yielded a 123 composite with a K.sub.IC of 4.5 MPa(m).sup.0.5.

Fracture toughness for copper oxide superconductors

Science.gov (United States)

Goretta, K.C.; Kullberg, M.L.

1993-04-13

An oxide-based strengthening and toughening agent, such as tetragonal ZrO[sub 2] particles, has been added to copper oxide superconductors, such as superconducting YBa[sub 2]Cu[sub 3]O[sub x] (123) to improve its fracture toughness (K[sub IC]). A sol-gel coating which is non-reactive with the superconductor, such as Y[sub 2]BaCuO[sub 5] (211) on the ZrO[sub 2] particles minimized the deleterious reactions between the superconductor and the toughening agent dispersed therethrough. Addition of 20 mole percent ZrO[sub 2] coated with 211 yielded a 123 composite with a K[sub IC] of 4.5 MPa(m)[sup 0.5].

Processing Y- and Bi-based superconductors

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Balachandran, U.; Dos Santos, D.I.; von Stumberg, A.W.; Graham, S.W.; Singh, J.P.; Youngdahl, C.A.; Goretta, K.C.; Shi, D.; Poeppel, R.B.

1989-01-01

This paper reports on bulk specimens of YBa 2 Cu 3 O x and Bi 2 Sr 2 CaCu 2 O y formed and then processed by sintering in the solid state, in the presence of a liquid phase, or by sinter forging. Both Y- and Bi-based superconductors are difficult to densify by solid-state sintering but easy to densify in the presence of a liquid phase. Effects of sintering conditions on superconducting properties are, however, different between the two materials. These differences will be discussed. Attempts to texture microstructures and increase J c by sinter-forging techniques have been successful for Y-based superconductors, but unsuccessful for Bi-based superconductors

A nonquasiclassical description of inhomogeneous superconductors

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Zaikin, A.D.; Panyukov, S.V.

1988-01-01

Exact microscopic equations are derived that make it possible to describe inhomogeneous superconductors when the quasi-classical approach is not suitable. These equations are simpler than the Gorkov equations. The authors generalize the derived equations for describing the nonequilibrium states of inhomogeneous superconductors. It is demonstrated that the derived equations (including the case of a nonequilibrium quasi particle distribution function) may be written in the form of linear differential equations for the simultaneous wave function μ, ν. The quasi-classical limit of such equations is examined. Effective boundary conditions are derived for the μ, ν functions that allow description of superconductors with a sharp change in parameters within the scope of the quasi-classical approach

Superconductors in the High School Classroom

Science.gov (United States)

Lincoln, James

2017-01-01

In this article, we discuss the behavior of high-temperature superconductors and how to demonstrate them safely and effectively in the high school or introductory physics classroom. Included here is a discussion of the most relevant physics topics that can be demonstrated, some safety tips, and a bit of the history of superconductors. In an effort…

Hexatic vortex glass in disordered superconductors

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Chudnovsky, E.M.

1989-01-01

It is shown that interaction of the flux-line lattice with randomly arranged pinning centers should destroy the long-range positional order in the lattice, but not the long-range orientational order. A new phase: hexatic vortex glass, is suggested for the mixed state of disordered, type-II superconductors. Relevance to amorphous and high-T c superconductors is discussed

Method of production multifilamentary intermetallic superconductors

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Marancik, W.G.; Young, M.S.

1980-01-01

A method of making A-15 type intermetallic superconductors is disclosed which features elimination of numerous annealing steps. Nb or V filaments are embedded in Cu matrices; annular layers of Sn or Ga, respectively, separated from each other by Cu layers, provide the other component of the intermetallic superconductors Nb3Sn and V3Ga

System and method for quench and over-current protection of superconductor

Science.gov (United States)

Huang, Xianrui; Laskaris, Evangelos Trifon; Sivasubramaniam, Kiruba Haran; Bray, James William; Ryan, David Thomas; Fogarty, James Michael; Steinbach, Albert Eugene

2005-05-31

A system and method for protecting a superconductor. The system may comprise a current sensor operable to detect a current flowing through the superconductor. The system may comprise a coolant temperature sensor operable to detect the temperature of a cryogenic coolant used to cool the superconductor to a superconductive state. The control circuit is operable to estimate the superconductor temperature based on the current flow and the coolant temperature. The system may also be operable to compare the estimated superconductor temperature to at least one threshold temperature and to initiate a corrective action when the superconductor temperature exceeds the at least one threshold temperature.

Macroscopic flux-creep magnetization of superconductors in applied magnetic field and local change peculiarities of their differential resistivity

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Romanovskii, V.R.

2003-01-01

The physical peculiarities of the flux-creep dynamics of low- and high-temperature superconductors placed in external varying magnetic field are studied. The flux-creep problem was studied for the partial penetration state. The proposed analysis was based on the macroscopic description of the flux creep by power and exponential equations of current-voltage characteristics of superconductors. It is shown that during flux creep the screening current penetrates into the superconductor at a finite velocity. Therefore, inside the superconductor a moving boundary of a magnetization region appears like in the critical state model. The time-dependent equations of screening current front have been written. However, unlike the critical state model nontrivial conditions are fulfilled at the moving boundary. They describe the smooth transition of the electromagnetic field induced by external perturbation to the undisturbed ones. A flux-creep distribution of the differential resistivity of the superconductor has been discussed. The performed analysis reveals that it monotonically decreases toward the moving boundary and depends on the magnetic ramp rate. In accordance with these flux-creep conditions the energy dissipation in the superconductors and their magnetic moment depend on the propagation law of the screening current moving boundary. The applicability of the Bean model for describing the flux-creep states is investigated

The effect of silver nanoparticle size on Jc of YBa2Cu3O7-x superconductor

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Farbod, M.; Batvandi, M.; Shoushtari, M. Z.

2007-01-01

Full text: Critical current density Jc is one of the most important superconducting parameters which is crucial in superconductor's applications. Introducing silver into the superconductors as intergrain filler has been a routine way to increase the Jc. In this work, YBa 2 Cu 3 O 7-x (YBCO), was doped by silver nanoparticles and their effect was studied on Jc as the flux pinning centers. Silver nanoparticles with sizes ranging from 30 to 1000 nm have been prepared using the reduction of silver in ethanol. The stoichiometric amounts of initial material of YBCO superconductor were added to the solution. After evaporation of ethanol, the obtained powder was used to fabricate YBCO samples. The total weight ratio of silver nanoparticles to superconductor was 1:100. The samples were characterized using SEM, EDX and XRD measurements. Jc was measured by a standard four probe technique. The results show by increasing silver nanoparticle size up to 700 nm, Jc increases then decreases by further increase in silver particle size. (authors)

Topological insulators and superconductors: tenfold way and dimensional hierarchy

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Ryu, Shinsei; Schnyder, Andreas P; Furusaki, Akira; Ludwig, Andreas W W

2010-01-01

It has recently been shown that in every spatial dimension there exist precisely five distinct classes of topological insulators or superconductors. Within a given class, the different topological sectors can be distinguished, depending on the case, by a Z or a Z 2 topological invariant. This is an exhaustive classification. Here we construct representatives of topological insulators and superconductors for all five classes and in arbitrary spatial dimension d, in terms of Dirac Hamiltonians. Using these representatives we demonstrate how topological insulators (superconductors) in different dimensions and different classes can be related via 'dimensional reduction' by compactifying one or more spatial dimensions (in 'Kaluza-Klein'-like fashion). For Z-topological insulators (superconductors) this proceeds by descending by one dimension at a time into a different class. The Z 2 -topological insulators (superconductors), on the other hand, are shown to be lower-dimensional descendants of parent Z-topological insulators in the same class, from which they inherit their topological properties. The eightfold periodicity in dimension d that exists for topological insulators (superconductors) with Hamiltonians satisfying at least one reality condition (arising from time-reversal or charge-conjugation/particle-hole symmetries) is a reflection of the eightfold periodicity of the spinor representations of the orthogonal groups SO(N) (a form of Bott periodicity). Furthermore, we derive for general spatial dimensions a relation between the topological invariant that characterizes topological insulators and superconductors with chiral symmetry (i.e., the winding number) and the Chern-Simons invariant. For lower-dimensional cases, this formula relates the winding number to the electric polarization (d=1 spatial dimensions) or to the magnetoelectric polarizability (d=3 spatial dimensions). Finally, we also discuss topological field theories describing the spacetime theory of

Annual report 1992 of the Tandem Accelerator Center, University of Tsukuba

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

1993-10-01

This annual report includes the research activities and the technical developments carried out at the Tandem Accelerator Center in University of Tsukuba for the period from April 1992 to March 1993. New experimental investigations were made on (1) nuclear spectroscopy was initiated by a new γ ray spectrometer; (2) polarization phenomena in nuclear reactions; (3) the application of energetic heavy ions to solid state physics; (4) the behavior of self interstitial atoms and its migration mechanism in Mo metal (5) the studies on electronic conduction of metal oxides and bronzes by NMR; (6) Moessbauer studies on Fe-Cr alloy and the RBS analysis of YBCO superconductor films; and (7) a new field was challenged on the micro cluster physics. Nuclear collective motion and the relativistic mean-field theory is also included in this report. (J.P.N.)

The iron pnictide superconductors an introduction and overview

CERN Document Server

Citro, Roberta

2017-01-01

This book covers different aspects of the physics of iron-based superconductors ranging from the theoretical, the numerical and computational, to the experimental ones. It starts from the basic theory modeling many-body physics in Fe-superconductors and other multi-orbital materials and drreaches up to the magnetic and Cooper pair fluctuations and nematic order. Finally, it offers a comprehensive overview of the most recent advancements in the experimental investigations of iron based superconductors. .

Powder processing of high Tc oxide superconductors and their properties

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Vajpei, A.C.; Upadhyaya, G.S.

1992-01-01

Powder processing of ceramics is an established technology and in the area of high T c superconductors, its importance is felt even more significantly. The present monograph is an attempt in this direction to explore the perspectives and practice of powder processing routes towards control and optimization of the microstructure and pertinent properties of high T c oxide superconductors. The monograph consists of 6 chapters. After a very brief introduction (Chapter 1), Chapter 2 describes various classes of high T c oxide superconductors and their phase equilibria. Chapter 3 highlights the preparation of oxide superconductor powders through various routes and details their subtle distinctions. Chapter 4 briefly covers characterisation of the oxide superconductors, laying emphasis on the process-analysis and microstructure. Chapter 5 describes in detail various fabrication techniques for bulk superconductors through the powder routes. The last Chapter (Chapter 6) describing properties of bulk oxide superconductors, discusses the role of subtituents, compositional variations and processing methods on such properties. References are given at the end of each chapter. (orig.)

Quasiclassical treatment and odd-parity/triplet correspondence in topological superconductors

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Nagai, Yuki; Nakamura, Hiroki; Machida, Masahiko

2014-01-01

We construct a quasiclassical framework for topological superconductors with a strong spin–orbit coupling such as Cu x Bi 2 Se 3 . In a manner of the quasiclassical treatment, by decomposing the slowly varying component from a total quasiparticle wave function, the original massive Dirac Bogoliubov–de Gennes (BdG) Hamiltonian derived from a tight-binding model represented by an 8 × 8 matrix is reduced to a 4 × 4 matrix. The resultant equations are equivalent to Andreev-type equations of singlet or triplet superconductors, in which the apparent spin–orbit coupling vanishes. Using this formalism, we find that the odd-parity superconductivity in topological superconductors turns to the spin-triplet one. Moreover, in terms of quasiclassical treatment, we show that the topologically-protected zero-energy states in topological superconductors have correspond to the Andreev bound states established in a long history of studies of unconventional superconductors. This clearly indicates that low-energy nontrivial superconducting properties in the topological superconductors can be analyzed using established theoretical descriptions of the spin-triplet superconductors. (author)

Manufacturing of Superconductors

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Bech, Jakob Ilsted; Bay, Niels

Superconducting tapes based on the ceramic high temperature superconductor (HTS) is a new promising product for high current applications such as electro-magnets and current transmission cables. The tapes are made by the oxide powder in tube (OPIT) method implying drawing and rolling of silver...... tubes containing ceramic powder. The final product is a composite tape, where ceramic superconducting fibres are embedded in a silver matrix. The critical current density Je [kA/cm 2 ] is the primary quality parameter of the product. The quality of the superconducting tape depends very much...... in the individual fibres. · The stresses and strains in the deformation zone are analysed. It is concluded that more detailed mechanical tests and a more detailed constitutive plasticity model is desirable in order to improve the precision of the numerical modelling. New test equipment is designed implying the new...

Analysis of cutoff frequency in a one-dimensional superconductor-metamaterial photonic crystal

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Aly, Arafa H; Aghajamali, Alireza; Elsayed, Hussein A.; Mobarak, Mohamed

2016-01-01

Highlights: • Our results show that the appearance of the cutoff frequency, below which the incident electromagnetic waves cannot propagate in the structure. We demonstrate that the cutoff frequency shows an upward trend as the thickness of the superconductor layer as well as the thickness of the metamaterial increase. • The cutoff frequency can be tuned by the operating temperature. Our structures are good candidates for many optical devices such as optical filters, switches, temperature controlled optical shutter, and among photoelectronic applications in gigahertz. - Abstract: In this paper, using the two-fluid model and the characteristic matrix method, we investigate the transmission characteristics of the one-dimensional photonic crystal. Our structure composed of the layers of low-temperature superconductor material (NbN) and double-negative metamaterial. We target studying the effect of many parameters such as the thickness of the superconductor material, the thickness of the metamaterial layer, and the operating temperature. We show that the cut-off frequency can be tuned efficiently by the operating temperature as well as the thicknesses of the constituent materials.

Iron-based superconductors via soft chemistry

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Friederichs, Gina Maya

2015-01-01

This thesis provides new soft chemistry approaches to Fe-based superconductors. Mild syntheses were demonstrated to be able to overcome difficulties, occurring in conventional synthesis and to enable the access to new metastable phases. A solvent-based metathesis reaction led to β-FeSe exclusively. Contrary to solid state syntheses, the formation of hexagonal α-FeSe could be avoided under mild conditions. The deintercalation of interstitial Fe (by formation of Fe 3 O 4 ) could be proven by low temperature O 2 -annealing of Fe 1+x Te 1-y Se y . By using redox (de)intercalations K 1-x Fe 2-y Se 2 , metastable Na 1-x Fe 2-y As 2 and Na 1-x ((Fe 1-y Co y ) 1-z As) 2 could successfully be obtained at room temperature. The mild synthesis conditions led to compounds like FeSe and K 1-x Fe 2-y Se 2 which exhibited different physical properties than found by conventional high temperature methods. In general, the developed (de)intercalation reactions represent a new, universally applicable tool in order to manipulate the structure along with the properties of Fe-based superconductors. The basic structural features of the characteristic FeX 4/4 tetrahedral layers, however, are preserved. Soft chemistry syntheses have been shown to allow the formation of a variety of phases, like Na 1-x Fe 2-y As 2 , Na 1-x ((Fe 1-y Co y ) 1-z As) 2 and K 1-x Fe 2-y Se 2 . Hence, especially low temperature approaches may enable the realization of complex stacking sequences, potentially leading to the fulfillment of the greatest goal in the research of superconductors - room temperature superconductivity.

Superconductor stability, 1983: a review

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Dresner, L.

1983-01-01

Three main topics have been discussed in this paper, namely, internally cooled superconductors, cooling by superfluid helium, and metastable magnets. The discussion of each has centered around a dominant idea, and it is fitting to highlight these ideas by way of conclusion. With regard to internally cooled superconductors, most of what we have learned in the last few years centers on the strong motion caused by the thermal expansion of helium. How naive were our early calculations that treated the helium as though it were incompressible. Our discussion of He-II was organized around the Gorter-Mellink relation and the solutions of the nonlinear diffusion equation it gives rise to. And our discussion of metastable magnets revolved around the fruitful concept of the MPZ. These three ideas are sturdy trunks that support much of the thought about superconductor stability that has flowered in the past several years

Edge instabilities of topological superconductors

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Hofmann, Johannes S. [Institut fuer Theoretische Physik und Astrophysik, Universitaet Wuerzburg (Germany); Max-Planck-Institut fuer Festkoerperforschung, Stuttgart (Germany); Assaad, Fakher F. [Institut fuer Theoretische Physik und Astrophysik, Universitaet Wuerzburg (Germany); Schnyder, Andreas P. [Max-Planck-Institut fuer Festkoerperforschung, Stuttgart (Germany)

2016-07-01

Nodal topological superconductors display zero-energy Majorana flat bands at generic edges. The flatness of these edge bands, which is protected by time-reversal and translation symmetry, gives rise to an extensive ground state degeneracy and a diverging density of states. Therefore, even arbitrarily weak interactions lead to an instability of the flat-band edge states towards time-reversal and translation-symmetry broken phases, which lift the ground-state degeneracy. Here, we employ Monte Carlo simulations combined with mean-field considerations to examine the instabilities of the flat-band edge states of d{sub xy}-wave superconductors. We find that attractive interactions induce a complex s-wave pairing instability together with a density wave instability. Repulsive interactions, on the other hand, lead to ferromagnetism mixed with spin-triplet pairing at the edge. We discuss the implications of our findings for experiments on cuprate high-temperature superconductors.

Application of ESCA spectroscopy to the study of electronic structure of high temperature superconductors

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Dagoury, G.

1988-01-01

Characteristics of high T c oxide superconductors are very sensitive to slight variation of chemical composition, ESCA spectroscopy is used for identification of YBaCuO superconductivity. Binding energy of the different electronic levels and structure of valence band are determined [fr

Electromagnetic response of non-trivially shaped superconductors in external magnetic fields and with applied currents

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Cabral, Leonardo Ribeiro Eulalio; Aguiar, Jose Albino Oliveira de

2002-01-01

Full text: The study of the electromagnetic response of high-T c superconductors is essential for future technological applications. Such materials are hard type II superconductors, where the mixed state (a state characterized by quantized normal flux tubes - also called vortices - immersed in a superconductor phase) occupies most of the phase diagram. Therefore, the electromagnetic properties are dictated by the vortex dynamics in these materials. One has also to consider the presence of structural defects and thermal effects, which turn the vortex dynamics very complex. These difficulties may be overcome throughout a macroscopic description, also known as continuum approximation, of the electromagnetic fields in superconductors, obtained from critical state models and constitutive relations E = E(j) and H = H(B) (where E is the electric field generated by moving vortices, j the current density, B the induction - related to the local density of vortices - and H the reversible magnetic field that is in equilibrium with B). In superconductors with negligible demagnetization factors, such as long cylinders and bars with applied magnetic fields and/or currents along their longer dimensions, the Meissner state and the flux penetration is quite well understood. However, the actual specimen shape plays an important role on the electromagnetic behavior of superconductors. Numerical methods are often employed, since such cases are hard to treat analytically. In this work we studied the electromagnetic response of superconductors with various shapes. The Meissner state is obtained for thin curved strips and long cylinders with arbitrary cross-section, in perpendicular field and with applied currents. The flux penetration is numerically calculated for thin curved strips for the Bean (j c =const.) and the Kim (j c (B) = j c0 /(1 + βB)) models. (author)

The new Fe-based superconductors

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Mao, Zhiqiang

2011-01-01

The discovery of unconventional superconductivity in doped iron pnictides has ushered in a new era of high temperature superconductivity. The superconductivity of these materials occurs in close proximity to magnetic instability; superconductivity is achieved by suppressing a long-range antiferromagnetic (AFM) order through charge carrier doping or pressure. In this talk, I will first give a brief overview of the phase diagrams of iron-based superconductors, and then talk about our recent research on iron chalcogenide Fe 1+y (Te 1-x Se x ) superconductors, which is structurally the simplest of the Fe-based superconductors. Although the Fermi surface of iron chalcogenides is similar to iron pnictides, the parent compound Fe 1+y Te exhibits AFM order with in-plane magnetic wave-vector (π, 0). This contrasts the pnictide parent compounds where the magnetic order has an in-plane magnetic wave-vector (π, π) that connects hole and electron parts of the Fermi surface. Despite these differences, both the pnictide and chalcogenide Fe-superconductors exhibit superconducting spin resonances around (π, π), suggesting a common symmetry for their superconducting order parameter. A central question in this burgeoning field is therefore how (π, π) superconductivity can emerge from a (π, 0) magnetic instability. I will address this issue in my talk. I will show the phase diagram of electronic and magnetic properties we recently established for this system and discuss the relationship between magnetic coupling and electronic properties. Our results reveal that the magnetic soft mode evolving from the (π, 0)-type magnetic long-range order is associated with weak charge carrier localization. Bulk superconductivity occurs only as magnetic correlations near (π, 0) are strongly suppressed and the magnetic mode at (π, π) becomes dominant; this suggests a common magnetic origin for superconductivity in iron chalcogenide and pnictide superconductors. (author)

Superconductor Dynamics

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Gömöry, F [Bratislava, Inst. Elect. Eng. (Slovakia)

2014-07-01

Superconductors used in magnet technology could carry extreme currents because of their ability to keep the magnetic flux motionless. The dynamics of the magnetic flux interaction with superconductors is controlled by this property. The cases of electrical transport in a round wire and the magnetization of wires of various shapes (circular, elliptical, plate) in an external magnetic field are analysed. Resistance to the magnetic field penetration means that the field produced by the superconducting magnet is no longer proportional to the supplied current. It also leads to a dissipation of electromagnetic energy. In conductors with unequal transverse dimensions, such as flat cables, the orientation with respect to the magnetic field plays an essential role. A reduction of magnetization currents can be achieved by splitting the core of a superconducting wire into fine filaments; however, new kinds of electrical currents that couple the filaments consequently appear. Basic formulas allowing qualitative analyses of various flux dynamic cases are presented.

Evolution of new superconductors. Past, present and future

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Akimitsu, Jun

2011-01-01

I present here the past and present situations of new superconductors and also the future prospect. Superconductivity has started since Kamerlingh Onnes first observed the zero resistivity. After that, the critical temperature T c was gradually increased. In the early stage of superconductive material investigations, main contribution has been made by B. Matthias and his group. In 1986, a new superconductor La-Ba-Cu-O, which belongs to new category in the superconducting society, has been found by Bednorz and Mueller. After that T c 's have been drastically increased, and finally reached to T c - 164 K in the Hg-compound. Next, I review several new superconductors discovered within 20 years. Finally, I mention my personal perspective to a high-T c superconductor. (author)

Ginsburg-Landau equation around the superconductor-insulator transition

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Ng, T.K.

1991-01-01

Based on the scaling theory of localization, we construct a Ginsburg-Landau (GL) equation for superconductors in an arbitrary strength of disordered potential. Using this GL equation, we reexamine the criteria for the superconductor-insulator transition and find that the transition to a localized superconductor can happen on both sides of the (normal) metal-insulator transition, in contrast to a previous prediction by Ma and Lee [Phys. Rev. B 32, 5658 (1985)] that the transition can only be on the insulator side. Furthermore, by comparing our theory with a recent scaling theory of dirty bosons by Fisher et al. [Phys. Rev. Lett. 64, 587 (1990)], we conclude that nontrivial crossover behavior in transport properties may occur in the vicinity of the superconductor-insulator transition

Characteristic of wireless power transmission S-Parameter for a superconductor coil

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Jeong, In Sung; Jung, Byung Ik; Choi, Hyo Sang

2015-01-01

Many studies are being conducted to implement wireless charging, for example, for cellular phones or electronic tooth brushes, via wireless power transmission technique. However, the magnetic induction method had a very short transmission distance. To solve this problem, the team of Professor Marin Soljacic proposed a magnetic resonance system that used two resonance coils with the same resonance frequency. It had an approximately 40% efficiency at a 2m distance. The system improved the low efficiency and short distance problems of the existing systems. So it could also widen the application range of wireless power transmission. Many studies on the subject are underway. In this paper, the superconductor coil was used to improve the efficiency of magnetic resonance wireless power transmission. The resonance wireless power transmission system had a source coil, a load coil, and resonance coils (a transmitter and a receiver). The efficiency and distance depended on the characteristics of the transmitter and receiver coils that had the same resonance frequency. Therefore, two resonance coils were fabricated by superconductors. The current density of the superconductor was higher than that of the normal conductor coil. Accordingly, it had a high quality-factor and improved efficiency

Characteristic of wireless power transmission S-Parameter for a superconductor coil

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Jeong, In Sung; Jung, Byung Ik; Choi, Hyo Sang [Chosun University, Gwangju (Korea, Republic of)

2015-03-15

Many studies are being conducted to implement wireless charging, for example, for cellular phones or electronic tooth brushes, via wireless power transmission technique. However, the magnetic induction method had a very short transmission distance. To solve this problem, the team of Professor Marin Soljacic proposed a magnetic resonance system that used two resonance coils with the same resonance frequency. It had an approximately 40% efficiency at a 2m distance. The system improved the low efficiency and short distance problems of the existing systems. So it could also widen the application range of wireless power transmission. Many studies on the subject are underway. In this paper, the superconductor coil was used to improve the efficiency of magnetic resonance wireless power transmission. The resonance wireless power transmission system had a source coil, a load coil, and resonance coils (a transmitter and a receiver). The efficiency and distance depended on the characteristics of the transmitter and receiver coils that had the same resonance frequency. Therefore, two resonance coils were fabricated by superconductors. The current density of the superconductor was higher than that of the normal conductor coil. Accordingly, it had a high quality-factor and improved efficiency.

Energy gap of ferromagnet-superconductor bilayers

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Halterman, Klaus; Valls, Oriol T

2003-10-15

The excitation spectrum of clean ferromagnet-superconductor bilayers is calculated within the framework of the self-consistent Bogoliubov-de Gennes theory. Because of the proximity effect, the superconductor induces a gap in the ferromagnet spectrum, for thin ferromagnetic layers. The effect depends strongly on the exchange field in the ferromagnet. We find that as the thickness of the ferromagnetic layer increases, the gap disappears, and that its destruction arises from those quasiparticle excitations with wave vectors mainly along the interface. We discuss the influence that the interface quality and Fermi energy mismatch between the ferromagnet and superconductor have on the calculated energy gap. We also evaluate the density of states in the ferromagnet, and we find it in all cases consistent with the gap results.

Finding high-temperature superconductors by metallizing the σ-bonding electrons

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Gao Miao; Lu Zhongyi; Xiang Tao

2015-01-01

Raising superconducting transition temperature (T_c) is an important task of fundamental research on superconductivity. It is also a prerequisite for the large scale application of superconductors. Since the microscopic mechanism of high-T_c superconductivity is unknown, the conventional approach for increasing T_c is either to apply high pressure to a material which has the potential to become superconducting, or to push it close to an antiferromagnetic or some other quantum instability point by chemical doping. In this article, the authors point out that another general approach for raising T_c is to lift the σ-bonding bands to the Fermi level, or to metallize the σ-bonding elections. This approach can increase the probability of finding a novel high-T_c superconductor because the coupling of σ-bonding electrons with phonons is generally strong and the superconducting transition induced by this interaction can occur at relatively high temperatures. After elucidating the underlying mechanism, the authors discuss a number of schemes to metallize σ-bonding electrons, and present their recent prediction for the crystalline and electronic structures of two potential high-T_c superconductors, Li_2B_3C and Li_3B_4C_2, with T_c higher than 50 K. (authors)

Engineered flux-pinning centers in BSCCO TBCCO and YBCO superconductors

Science.gov (United States)

Goretta, K.C.; Lanagan, M.T.; Miller, D.J.; Sengupta, S.; Parker, J.C.; Hu, J.; Balachandran, U.; Siegel, R.W.; Shi, D.

1999-07-27

A method of preparing a high temperature superconductor is disclosed. A method of preparing a superconductor includes providing a powdered high temperature superconductor and a nanophase material. These components are combined to form a solid compacted mass with the material disposed in the polycrystalline high temperature superconductor. This combined mixture is rapidly heated, forming a dispersion of nanophase size particles without a eutectic reaction. These nanophase particles can have a flat plate or columnar type morphology. 4 figs.

Superconductivity and ceramic superconductors II; Proceedings of the Symposium, Orlando, FL, Nov. 12-15, 1990. Ceramic transactions. Vol. 18

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Nair, K.M.; Balachandran, U.; Chiang, Y.-M.; Bhalla, A.S.

1991-01-01

The present symposium on superconductivity and ceramic superconductors discusses fundamentals and general principles, powder processing and properties, fabrication and properties, and device reliability and applications. Attention is given to phase formation in the Tl-Ca-Ba-Cu-O system, comparative defect studies in La2CuO4 and La2NiO4, solid solution and defect behavior in high Tc oxides, oxygen ion transport and disorder in cuprates, and Sr-free Bi-Ln-Ca-Cu-O superconductors. Topics addressed include the preparation of superconductor Y-Ba-Cu-O powder by single-step calcining in air, low-temperature synthesis of YBa2Cu3O(7-x), synthesis of high-phase purity ceramic oxide superconductors by the xerogel method, and the preparation and characterization of the BYa2Cu4O8 superconductor. Also discussed are optical studies of humidity-based corrosion effects on thin film and bulk ceramic YBa2Cu3O(7-delta), thermomechanical processing of YBa2Cu3O(x)/Ag sheathed wires, and the expansion of high-Tc superconducting ceramics

Current correlations in superconductor - normal metal mesoscopic structures

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Bignon, Guillaume

2005-01-01

Thanks to the experimental progress in miniaturization and cryogenics over the last twenty years, it is now possible to build sufficiently small electric circuits where the wave like nature of electron becomes significant. In such electric circuit transport properties like current and noise are modified. It corresponds to the mesoscopic scale. Moreover, connecting a mesoscopic circuit to a superconductor enhances the effects due to interference between electrons since a superconductor is a macroscopic source of coherent electrons pairs: the Cooper pairs. In this thesis, we study current correlations in mesoscopic normal metal - superconductor structures. First, the energy dependence of current noise in a normal metal - superconductor tunnel junction is analysed taking into account weak disorder and interactions. We show that if the normal metal is out of equilibrium, current and noise become independent. Next, we consider the case of a superconductor connected to two normal metals by tunnel junctions. We show that it is possible to change the sign of current crossed correlation by tuning the voltages and that it can be used to probe the size of the Cooper pairs. Lastly, using Usadel's quasi-classic theory, we study the energy dependence of noise in a normal metal - normal metal - superconductor double junction. We show that barrier's transparencies modifies significantly both current and noise. (author) [fr

The improved damping of superconductor bearings for 35 kWh superconductor flywheel energy storage system

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Han, Y.H.; Park, B.J.; Jung, S.Y.; Han, S.C.; Lee, W.R.; Bae, Y.C.

2013-01-01

Highlights: ► We made a 35 kWh superconductor flywheel energy storage system. ► The damping coefficient of the superconductor bearing was increased over 3000 N s/m. ► The source of damping was discussed. -- Abstract: A 35 kWh Superconductor Flywheel Energy Storage system (SFES) using hybrid bearing sets, which is composed of a high temperature superconductor (HTS) bearing and an active magnet damper (AMD), has been developed at KEPCO Research Institute (KEPRI). Damping is a source of energy loss but necessary for the stability of the flywheel system. We found that the damping of HTS bearings can be improved by thermal insulating bolts, which play a role of passive type external damper. To investigate the source of the increased damping, damping coefficients were measured with HTS bearings using insulating bolts made of three kinds of polymer materials. The damping coefficient was raised over 3000 N s/m in the case of PEEK bolts. The value was almost a quarter of the AMD. In this study, thermoelastic and Coulomb friction damping mechanisms are discussed. The main damping mechanism was the thermoelastic damping of the bolts themselves. And interfacial gap between the insulating bolt and metal chamber, which increased during the cooling process, was considered to be the cause of the anisotropic damping coefficients. Finally, the effects of the HTS bearings on the first critical speed are shown

Topological insulators and topological superconductors

CERN Document Server

Bernevig, Andrei B

2013-01-01

This graduate-level textbook is the first pedagogical synthesis of the field of topological insulators and superconductors, one of the most exciting areas of research in condensed matter physics. Presenting the latest developments, while providing all the calculations necessary for a self-contained and complete description of the discipline, it is ideal for graduate students and researchers preparing to work in this area, and it will be an essential reference both within and outside the classroom. The book begins with simple concepts such as Berry phases, Dirac fermions, Hall conductance and its link to topology, and the Hofstadter problem of lattice electrons in a magnetic field. It moves on to explain topological phases of matter such as Chern insulators, two- and three-dimensional topological insulators, and Majorana p-wave wires. Additionally, the book covers zero modes on vortices in topological superconductors, time-reversal topological superconductors, and topological responses/field theory and topolo...

High-T/sub c/ superconductor and its use in superconducting magnets

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Green, M.A.

1988-02-01

Many of the proposed uses for the high-T/sub c/ superconductor involve the creation of a magnetic field using superconducting coils. This report will assess what is known about the high-T/sub c/ superconductors and take a realistic look at their potential use in various kinds of superconducting magnets. Based on what is known about the high-T/sub c/ superconductors, one can make a ''wish list'' of things that will make such materials useful for magnets. Then, the following question is asked. If one had a high-T/sub c/ superconductor with the same properties as modern niobium-titanium superconductor, how would the superconductor work in a magnet environment? Finally, this report will show the potential impact of the ideal high-T/sub c/ superconductor on: 1) accelerator dipole and quadrupole magnets, 2) superconducting magnets for use in space, and 3) superconducting solenoids for magnetic resonance imaging. 78 refs., 11 tabs

Symmetry of order-parameters in high-Tc layered superconductors

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Rajagopal, A.K.; Jha, Sudhanshu S.

1997-01-01

It is well known that the anisotropy and wave-vector dependence of the energy-gap function determine many important properties of a superconductor which are relevant for device applications. Apart from a weak dependence on the wave-vector k - > in the direction perpendicular to the reciprocal layer-plane of a high-T c layered superconductor, it is shown that anisotropic superconducting order parameters for intra-layer pairing in the class of such materials with orthorhombic crystal structures, can have either pure s-wave like symmetry or mixed d-wave and anisotropic extended s-wave like symmetries in the reciprocal layer-plane. However, in such materials with tetragonal crystal structures, it is possible to have a pure s-wave like symmetry, which may be either isotropic or anisotropic in the layer k - >-space, or a pure d-wave like symmetry, as far the k - >-dependence in the reciprocal layer plane is concerned. In view of this, some suggestions for analysing experimental data will also be presented. (author)

Macroscopic theory of superconductors

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Carr, W.J. Jr.

1981-01-01

A macroscopic theory for bulk superconductors is developed in the framework of the theory for other magnetic materials, where ''magnetization'' current is separated from ''free'' current on the basis of scale. This contrasts with the usual separation into equilibrium and nonequilibrium currents. In the present approach magnetization, on a large macroscopic scale, results from the vortex current, while the Meissner current and other surface currents are surface contributions to the Maxwell j. The results are important for the development of thermodynamics in type-II superconductors. The advantage of the description developed here is that magnetization becomes a local concept and its associated magnetic field can be given physical meaning

Stability of magnets levitated above superconductors

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Davis, L.C.; Logothetis, E.M.; Soltis, R.E.

1988-01-01

The stability of a permanent magnet levitated above a slab of hard superconductor is considered. The force on a dipole magnet over a perfectly diamagnetic disk is calculated. It is found that the radial component of the force is directed outward and is 10%--20% of the image (vertical) force near the edge. Estimates of the magnetic friction force due to flux motion in a hard superconductor are made using Bean's model. The magnitude of the magnetic friction is large enough to stabilize the magnet over most of the disk for typical values of the critical current in ceramic superconductors (∼10 3 A/cm 2 ), but too small for the highest values reported (>10 6 A/cm 2 ). It is conjectured that flux trapping due to inhomogeneities gives rise to transient restoring forces

Method of fabricating composite superconductors

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Koike, Y.; Shiraki, H.; Suzuki, E.; Yoshida, M.

1977-01-01

A method of making stabilized superconductors of a composition such as Nb 3 Sn is disclosed. The method includes forming a stock product comprising a tin base alloy as a core with a copper jacket and having a niobium tube clad thereon. The stock product is then embedded in a good thermally and electrically conducting matrix which is then coreduced until the desired size is obtained. This cold worked product is then submitted to a heat treatment to form superconductors of Nb 3 Sn

Aspects of the application of low temperatures in electrical engineering

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

1968-01-01

After a short assessment of superconductors and high field coils as well as normal conductors at low temperature, refrigerating units and thermal insulation are discussed. In the case of superconductor direct current cables for 2 by 400 kV, a comparison is made with hvdc overhead lines and it was found that the cost of erection, as well as the annual operating costs, are equivalent for a transmitted load of 2 to 3 GW.

Feasibility of introducing ferromagnetic materials to onboard bulk high-Tc superconductors to enhance the performance of present maglev systems

Science.gov (United States)

Deng, Zigang; Wang, Jiasu; Zheng, Jun; Zhang, Ya; Wang, Suyu

2013-02-01

Performance improvement is a long-term research task for the promotion of practical application of promising high-temperature superconducting (HTS) magnetic levitation (maglev) vehicle technologies. We studied the feasibility to enhance the performance of present HTS Maglev systems by introducing ferromagnetic materials to onboard bulk superconductors. The principle here is to make use of the high magnetic permeability of ferromagnetic materials to alter the flux distribution of the permanent magnet guideway for the enhancement of magnetic field density at the position of the bulk superconductors. Ferromagnetic iron plates were added to the upper surface of bulk superconductors and their geometric and positioning effects on the maglev performance were investigated experimentally. Results show that the guidance performance (stability) was enhanced greatly for a particular setup when compared to the present maglev system which is helpful in the application where large guidance forces are needed such as maglev tracks with high degrees of curves.

Passive superconductor: A viable method of controlling magnetization multipoles in the SSC dipole

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Green, M.A.

1989-02-01

At injection, the magnetization of the superconductor produces the dominant field error in the SSC dipole magnets. The field generated by magnetization currents in the superconductor is rich in higher symmetric multipoles (normal sextupole, normal decapole, and so on). Pieces of passive superconductor properly located within the bore of the dipole magnet can cancel the higher multipoles generated by the SSC dipole coils. The multipoles generated by the passive superconductor (predominantly sextupole and decapole) are controlled by the angular and radial location of the superconductor, the volume of superconductor, and the size of the superconducting filaments within the passive conductor. This paper will present the tolerances on each of these factors. The paper will show that multipole correction using passive superconductor is in general immune to the effects of temperature and magnetization decay due to flux creep, provided that dipole superconductor and the passive correction superconductor are properly specified. When combined with a lumped correction system, the passive superconductor can be a viable alternative to continuous correction coils within the SSC dipoles. 20 refs., 8 figs., 2 tabs

Passive superconductor a viable method of controlling magnetization multipoles in the SSC dipole

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Green, M.A.

1989-01-01

At injection, the magnetization of the superconductor produces the dominant field error in the SSC dipole magnets. The field generated by magnetization currents in the superconductor is rich in higher symmetric multipoles (normal sextupole, normal decapole, and so on). Pieces of passive superconductor properly located within the bore of the dipole magnet can cancel the higher multipoles generated by the SSC dipole coils. The multipoles generated by the passive superconductor (predominantly sextupole and decapole) are controlled by the angular and radial location of the superconductor, the volume of superconductor, and the size of the superconducting filaments within the passive conductor. This paper will present the tolerances on each of these factors. The paper will show that multipole correction using passive superconductor is in general immune to the effects of temperature and magnetization decay due to flux creep, provided that dipole superconductor and the passive correction superconductor are properly specified. When combined with a lumped correction system, the passive superconductor can be a viable alternative to continuous correction coils within the SSC dipoles. 20 refs., 8 figs., 2 tabs

15 CFR 303.17 - Application for annual duty-refunds.

Science.gov (United States)

2010-01-01

... 15 Commerce and Foreign Trade 2 2010-01-01 2010-01-01 false Application for annual duty-refunds. 303.17 Section 303.17 Commerce and Foreign Trade Regulations Relating to Commerce and Foreign Trade (Continued) INTERNATIONAL TRADE ADMINISTRATION, DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE MISCELLANEOUS REGULATIONS WATCHES...

EDITORIAL: Focus on Iron-Based Superconductors FOCUS ON IRON-BASED SUPERCONDUCTORS

Science.gov (United States)

Hosono, Hideo; Ren, Zhi-An

2009-02-01

Superconductivity is the most dramatic and clear cut phenomenon in condensed matter physics. Realization of room temperature superconductors, which would lead to the revolution of our society, is an ultimate goal for researchers. The discovery of high Tc cuprate superconductors in 1986 by Bednorz and Müller triggered intensive research worldwide and the maximum critical temperature has been raised above 100 K. Scientific research on this break-through material clarified a new route to high Tc materials, carrier doping to a Mott insulator with anti-ferromagnetic ordering. High superconductivity occurs in the neighborhood of Mott-insulators and Fermi-metals. Such a view, which was completely new, now stands as a guiding principle for exploring new high Tc materials. Many theoretical approaches to the mechanism for cuprate superconductors have been carried out to understand this unexpected material and to predict new high Tc materials. In 2006 a new superconductor based on iron, LaFeOP, was discovered by a group at Tokyo Institute of Technology, Japan. Iron, as a ferromagnet, was believed to be the last element for the realization of superconductivity because of the way ferromagnetism competes against Cooper pair formation. Unexpectedly, however, the critical temperature remained at 4-6 K irrespective of hole/electron-doping. A large increase in the Tc to 26 K was then found in LaFe[O1-xFx]As by the same group (and was published on 23 February 2008, in the Journal of the American Chemical Society). The Tc of this material was further raised to 43 K under a pressure of 2 GPa and scientists in China then achieved a Tc of 56 K at ambient pressure by replacing La with other rare earth ions with smaller radius—a critical temperature that is second only to the high Tc cuprates. This fast progress has revitalized research within superconductivity and in 2008 there were more than seven international symposia specifically on Fe(Ni)-based superconductors. Through the rapid

Doped Tl-1212 and Tl-1223 superconductors

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Eder, M.H.

2001-09-01

This work describes the preparation and characterization of thallium-lead-strontium-barium-calcium-(uranium)-copperoxide (Tl-1212, Tl-1223) high-temperature superconductors. The precursors were prepared via nitrate method. After calcination the oxidic powders were mixed with stoichiometric amounts of an Tl 2 O 3 , PbO, Er 2 O 3 and Gd 2 O 3 by milling and afterwards uniaxial compressed. Sintering was carried out in silver foils. X-ray diffractometry and high-resolution microscopy in combination with scanning electron microscopy (including EDAX) were used to study the influence of varying thallium/lead-, strontium/barium-, calcium/rare earth element ratios and the effect of uranium on the phase composition and microstructure of bulk superconductors. Furthermore the influence of the composition on the electrical and magnetical properties was studied. On phase pure Tl-1212 and Tl-1223 superconductors NMR-measurements were done. Small amounts of gadolinium and erbium instead of calcium and excess-uranium have a positive impact on the electrical and magnetical properties of the Tl-1223 superconductors. Higher amounts of these doping elements favor the Tl-1212 phase. Tl-1212 superconductors with varying thallium/lead- strontium/barium- and calcium/gadolinium ratios were prepared phasepure in wide range of doping. Transition temperatures up to 96 K were achieved. It was shown that lead has an oxidation number of +4 and thallium of +3. (author)

Transport measurements in superconductors: critical current of granular high TC ceramic superconductor samples

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Passos, W.A.C.

2016-01-01

This work presents a method to obtain critical current of granular superconductors. We have carried out transport measurements (ρxT curves and VxI curves) in a YBa_2Cu_3O_7_-_δ sample to determine critical current density of it. Some specimens reveal a 'semiconductor-like' behavior (electrical resistivity decreases with increasing temperatures above critical temperature T_c of material) competing with superconductor behavior. Due to high granular fraction of the sample, these competition is clearly noted in ρxT curves. Measurements carried out from 0 to 8500 Oe of applied field show the same behavior, and the critical current density of the samples is shown. (author)

Far infrared spectroscopy of high-Tc superconductors at the National Synchrotron Light Source

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Perkowitz, S.; Williams, G.P.

1989-01-01

This paper reports the first far infrared transmission spectra for micron-thick films of high-T c rare-earth superconductors such as DyBaCuO, with implications for the superconducting gap. Spectra were obtained at Brookhaven's National Synchrotron Light Source, a new high-intensity, broad-band millimeter to infrared source. The National Synchrotron Light Source at Brookhaven National Laboratory, known for powerful X-ray and UV output, is also a high-intensity (10 to 1000 times above a black body), high-brightness (intensity per solid angle), broad-band, picosecond, millimeter to infrared source. These features make it valuable for far-infrared condensed matter experiments, especially those in highly absorbing or extremely small systems. A first application has been to measure very small infrared transmissions through thick bulk-like high-T c superconducting films. Preliminary measurements through films of the conventional superconductor Nb 3 Ge established techniques. These were followed by the first measurements (to the author's knowledge) through micron-thick films of high-T c rare-earth superconductors such as DyBaCuO over 10-300 cm -1 , which includes the superconducting gap according to BCS or moderately strong-coupled theory. The authors discuss the transmission evidence bearing on the existence of a gap and other important features of high-T c superconductors, and describe the synchrotron and instrumentation features which make possible these unusual measurements

Force measurements for levitated bulk superconductors

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Tachi, Y.; Sawa, K.; Iwasa, Y.; Nagashima, K.; Otani, T.; Miyamoto, T.; Tomita, M.; Murakami, M.

2000-01-01

We have developed a force measurement system which enables us to directly measure the levitation force of levitated bulk superconductors. Experimental data of the levitation forces were compared with the results of numerical simulation based on the levitation model that we deduced in our previous paper. They were in fairly good agreement, which confirms that our levitation model can be applied to the force analyses for levitated bulk superconductors. (author)

Force measurements for levitated bulk superconductors

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Tachi, Y. [Department of Electrical Engineering, Keio University, 3-14-1 Hiyoshi, Kohoku-ku, Yokohama (Japan); ISTEC, Superconductivity Research Laboratory, 1-16-25 Shibaura, Minato-ku, Tokyo (Japan). E-mail: tachi at istec.or.jp; Uemura, N. [Department of Electrical Engineering, Keio University, 3-14-1 Hiyoshi, Kohoku-ku, Yokohama (Japan); ISTEC, Superconductivity Research Laboratory, 1-16-25 Shibaura, Minato-ku, Tokyo (Japan); Sawa, K. [Department of Electrical Engineering, Keio University, 3-14-1 Hiyoshi, Kohoku-ku, Yokohama (Japan); Iwasa, Y. [Francis Bitter Magnet Laboratory, Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Cambridge, MA (United States); Nagashima, K. [Railway Technical Research Institute, Hikari-cho, Kokubunji-shi, Tokyo (Japan); Otani, T.; Miyamoto, T.; Tomita, M.; Murakami, M. [ISTEC, Superconductivity Research Laboratory, 1-16-25 Shibaura, Minato-ku, Tokyo (Japan)

2000-06-01

We have developed a force measurement system which enables us to directly measure the levitation force of levitated bulk superconductors. Experimental data of the levitation forces were compared with the results of numerical simulation based on the levitation model that we deduced in our previous paper. They were in fairly good agreement, which confirms that our levitation model can be applied to the force analyses for levitated bulk superconductors. (author)

High temperature superconductors and other superfluids

CERN Document Server

Alexandrov, A S

2017-01-01

Written by eminent researchers in the field, this text describes the theory of superconductivity and superfluidity starting from liquid helium and a charged Bose-gas. It also discusses the modern bipolaron theory of strongly coupled superconductors, which explains the basic physical properties of high-temperature superconductors. This book will be of interest to fourth year graduate and postgraduate students, specialist libraries, information centres and chemists working in high-temperature superconductivity.

Filters for mobile radio from high Tc ceramic superconductors

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Peterson, G.E.; Wong, E.; Alford, N.McN.

1990-01-01

Mobile radio frequencies lie between 30 MHz and 1,000 MHz. This frequency range is ideal for ceramic high T c superconductors. We have designed Chebyshev, Butterworth and interdigital filters that can employ high T c superconductors in the form of rods, tubes and helices. In general, the performance of these filters at milliwatt power levels is excellent. We will describe fabrication of the superconductors and filter design

Rugged Low-Resistance Contacts To High-Tc Superconductors

Science.gov (United States)

Caton, Randall; Selim, Raouf; Byvik, Charles E.; Buoncristiani, A. Martin

1992-01-01

Newly developed technique involving use of gold makes possible to fabricate low-resistance contacts with rugged connections to high-Tc superconductors. Gold diffused into specimen of superconducting material by melting gold beads onto surface of specimen, making strong mechanical contacts. Shear strength of gold bead contacts greater than epoxy or silver paste. Practical use in high-current-carrying applications of new high-Tc materials, including superconducting magnets, long-wavelength sensors, electrical ground planes at low temperatures, and efficient transmission of power.

High point for CERN and high-temperature superconductors

CERN Multimedia

2007-01-01

Amalia Ballarino is named the Superconductor Industry Person of the year 2006. Amalia Ballarino showing a tape of high-superconducting material used for the LHC current leads.The CERN project leader for the high-temperature superconducting current leads for the LHC, Amalia Ballarino, has received the award for "Superconductor Industry Person of the Year". This award, the most prestigious international award in the development and commercialization of superconductors, is presented by the leading industry newsletter "Superconductor Week". Amalia Ballarino was selected from dozens of nominations from around the world by a panel of recognized leading experts in superconductivity. "It is a great honour for me," says Amalia Ballarino. "It has been many years of hard work, and it’s a great satisfaction to see that the work has been completed successfully." Amalia Ballarino has been working on high-temperature superconducting materials sin...

Behaviour of magnetic superconductors in a magnetic field

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Buzdin, A.I.

1984-01-01

The behaviour of magnetic superconductors with close ferromagnetic and superconducting transition temperatures in a magnetic field is considered. It is shown that on lowering of the temperature the superconducting transition changes from a second to first order transition. The respective critical fields and dependence of the magnetization on the magnetic field and temperature are found. The magnetization discontinuity in the vortex core in magnetic superconductors is noted. Due to this property and the relatively large scattering cross section, magnetic superconductors are convenient for studying the superconducting vortex lattice by neutron diffraction techniques

The discovery and some properties of high-T superconductors

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Mueller, Karl A.

1996-01-01

Full text: Starting with the first observation of superconductivity in an oxide, the history of its development is traced. Basically and consecutively, three kinds of oxide superconductors have been found. Compounds with normal transition-metal condition bands, oxides with cations exhibiting charge disproportion, and finally the cuprates with large coulomb on-site repulsion, U. This discussion will lead over to a characterization of the highest-T materials both concerning their physical properties and application perspectives

Flux pinning enhancement by Y2BaCuO5 inclusions in melt processed YBaCuO superconductors

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Murakami, M.

1991-01-01

While nonsuperconducting particles are known to serve as effective pinning centers in conventional superconductors, their effect in high T c superconductors is still controversial. In this paper, the author gives evidence that nonsuperconducting Y 2 BaCuO 5 (21 1) inclusions can act as pinning centers in melt processed YBaCuO superconductors even when their size is orders of magnitude larger than the coherence length. In such a case, the interface provides pinning. Theoretical estimates based on direct summations agree well with the experimental results. The applications of direct summation for obtaining the bulk pinning force is justified by direct observation of the FLL (flux line lattice), where the FLL has no long range order and the fluxoids are pinned by 211 inclusions

Simulating atomic-scale phenomena on surfaces of unconventional superconductors

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Kreisel, Andreas; Andersen, Brian [Niels Bohr Institute (Denmark); Choubey, Peayush; Hirschfeld, Peter [Univ. of Florida (United States); Berlijn, Tom [CNMS and CSMD, Oak Ridge National Laboratory (United States)

2016-07-01

Interest in atomic scale effects in superconductors has increased because of two general developments: First, the discovery of new materials as the cuprate superconductors, heavy fermion and Fe-based superconductors where the coherence length of the cooper pairs is as small to be comparable to the lattice constant, rendering small scale effects important. Second, the experimental ability to image sub-atomic features using scanning-tunneling microscopy which allows to unravel numerous physical properties of the homogeneous system such as the quasi particle excitation spectra or various types of competing order as well as properties of local disorder. On the theoretical side, the available methods are based on lattice models restricting the spatial resolution of such calculations. In the present project we combine lattice calculations using the Bogoliubov-de Gennes equations describing the superconductor with wave function information containing sub-atomic resolution obtained from ab initio approaches. This allows us to calculate phenomena on surfaces of superconductors as directly measured in scanning tunneling experiments and therefore opens the possibility to identify underlying properties of these materials and explain observed features of disorder. It will be shown how this method applies to the cuprate material Bi{sub 2}Sr{sub 2}CaCu{sub 2}O{sub 8} and a Fe based superconductor.

Enhancement of mechanical properties of 123 superconductors

Science.gov (United States)

Balachandran, Uthamalingam

1995-01-01

A composition and method of preparing YBa.sub.2 Cu.sub.3 O.sub.7-x superconductor. Addition of tin oxide containing compounds to YBCO superconductors results in substantial improvement of fracture toughness and other mechanical properties without affect on T.sub.c. About 5-20% additions give rise to substantially improved mechanical properties.

The Effective Coherence Length in Anisotropic Superconductors

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Polturak, E.; Koren, G.; Nesher, O

1999-01-01

If electrons are transmitted from a normal conductor(N) into a superconductor(S), common wisdom has it that the electrons are converted into Cooper pairs within a coherence length from the interface. This is true in conventional superconductors with an isotropic order parameter. We have established experimentally that the situation is rather different in high Tc superconductors having an anisotropic order parameter. We used epitaxial thin film S/N bilayers having different interface orientations in order to inject carriers from S into N along different directions. The distance to which these carriers penetrate were determined through their effect on the Tc of the bilayers. We found that the effective coherence length is 20A only along the a or b directions, while in other directions we find a length of 250dr20A out of plane, and an even larger value for in-plane, off high symmetry directions. These observations can be explained using the Blonder-Tinkham-Klapwijk model adapted to anisotropic superconductivity. Several implications of our results on outstanding problems with high Tc junctions will be discussed

Stress analysis in high-temperature superconductors under pulsed field magnetization

Science.gov (United States)

Wu, Haowei; Yong, Huadong; Zhou, Youhe

2018-04-01

Bulk high-temperature superconductors (HTSs) have a high critical current density and can trap a large magnetic field. When bulk superconductors are magnetized by the pulsed field magnetization (PFM) technique, they are also subjected to a large electromagnetic stress, and the resulting thermal stress may cause cracking of the superconductor due to the brittle nature of the sample. In this paper, based on the H-formulation and the law of heat transfer, we can obtain the distributions of electromagnetic field and temperature, which are in qualitative agreement with experiment. After that, based on the dynamic equilibrium equations, the mechanical response of the bulk superconductor is determined. During the PFM process, the change in temperature has a dramatic effect on the radial and hoop stresses, and the maximum radial and hoop stress are 24.2 {{MPa}} and 22.6 {{MPa}}, respectively. The mechanical responses of a superconductor for different cases are also studied, such as the peak value of the applied field and the size of bulk superconductors. Finally, the stresses are also presented for different magnetization methods.

Simulation of ion-beam induced defects in cuprate superconductors

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Dineva, M.; Marksteiner, M.; Lang, W.

2005-01-01

Full text: Heavy-ion irradiation of cuprate superconductors is well known to produce columnar defect tracks along which magnetic vortices can be pinned. Hence, this effect has a large potential for practical applications and can enhance the critical current of the high-temperature superconducting materials. On the other hand, little work has been devoted to light-ion irradiation of the new superconductors. Our previous experimental results have indicated a systematic change of electric transport properties when irradiating YBa 2 Cu 3 O 7 (YBCO) with 75 KEXV He + ions. The purpose of the present study is the investigation of the ion-target interactions with computer simulation programs based on the binary collision approximation. The program package SRIM (Stopping and Range of Ions in Matter) is widely used to simulate the impact of energetic ions (10 eV to 2 GeV) on a solid target using a quantum mechanical treatment of ion-atom collisions under the assumption of an unstructured target material. A similar program, MARLOWE, includes the exact crystalline structure of the target and, thus, is able to calculate ion channeling effects and angle dependences. Detailed results of the penetration range of ions into YBCO, scattering cascades, creation of vacancies and interstitials, are reported for various kinds of ions. One of the central results is that light ions with energy of about 80 KEXV can penetrate through thin films of the cuprate superconductors and create point defects, mainly by oxygen displacement. (author)

Flux flow and flux dynamics in high-Tc superconductors

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Bennett, L.H.; Turchinskaya, M.; Swartzendruber, L.J.; Roitburd, A.; Lundy, D.; Ritter, J.; Kaiser, D.L.

1991-01-01

Because high temperature superconductors, including BYCO and BSSCO, are type 2 superconductors with relatively low H(sub c 1) values and high H(sub c 2) values, they will be in a critical state for many of their applications. In the critical state, with the applied field between H(sub c 1) and H(sub c 2), flux lines have penetrated the material and can form a flux lattice and can be pinned by structural defects, chemical inhomogeneities, and impurities. A detailed knowledge of how flux penetrates the material and its behavior under the influence of applied fields and current flow, and the effect of material processing on these properties, is required in order to apply, and to improve the properties of these superconductors. When the applied field is changed rapidly, the time dependence of flux change can be divided into three regions, an initial region which occurs very rapidly, a second region in which the magnetization has a 1n(t) behavior, and a saturation region at very long times. A critical field is defined for depinning, H(sub c,p) as that field at which the hysteresis loop changes from irreversible to reversible. As a function of temperature, it is found that H(sub c,p) is well described by a power law with an exponent between 1.5 and 2.5. The behavior of H(sub c,p) for various materials and its relationship to flux flow and flux dynamics are discussed

On the electronegativity of the high-Tc oxide superconductor

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Zhang Liyuan.

1991-08-01

We employ a very useful quantity, the electronegativity, to classify the superconductor. The value of the group average electronegativity to separate superconductor into two categories is 2. Each category has unique chemical bond features. The high-T c oxide superconductor belongs to the second category with group average electronegativity being larger than 2. Their unusual bond nature also gives new insight into some essential factors beneficial to enhance superconductivity. (author). 9 refs, 2 tabs

Development of superconductor application technology - Flywheel energy storage system using superconducting magnetic bearing

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Lee, Soo Hun; Oh, Hueng Kuk; Yun, Keyng Reyl; Lee, Jeung Kun [Ahju University, Suwon (Korea, Republic of)

1996-06-01

Electricity must be used simultaneously with its generation. Existing storage methods either are dependent on special geography, are too expensive,= or are too inefficient. Electricity demand changes by as much as 30% over a 12-hour period and result in significant costs for utilities as power output get adjusted to meet these changes. The purpose of HTS FES is to store unused nighttime electricity until it is needed during the daytime. If every element of a rotating flywheel is stressed to a prescribed allowable value, the flywheel material will clearly be used in most efficient manner. The uniformlt stressed flywheel is about 25% stronger than a flat disk. The gap between superconductor and permanent magnet was 1.85 mm, and using bearing connector with the values, joining superconductor to permanent magnet Using bolt connector, joining permanent magnet to flywheel. Joined system is excited by exciting function that magnitude is 1, range is 0 up to 4000 HZ. 3 rd and 4 th natural frequency, 1857 HZ and 2340 HZ, in X direction and 2 nd natural frequency, 28.57 HZ, are avoided to prevent resonance. 15 refs., 11 tabs., 53 figs. (author)

Enhancement of mechanical properties of 123 superconductors

Science.gov (United States)

Balachandran, U.

1995-04-25

A composition and method are disclosed of preparing YBa{sub 2}Cu{sub 3}O{sub 7{minus}x} superconductor. Addition of tin oxide containing compounds to YBCO superconductors results in substantial improvement of fracture toughness and other mechanical properties without affect on T{sub c}. About 5-20% additions give rise to substantially improved mechanical properties.

Development and exploration of potential routes of discovery of new superconductors

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Lin, Xiao [Iowa State Univ., Ames, IA (United States)

2013-01-01

This thesis summarizes our efforts to develop and explore potential routes for the discovery of new superconductors. The development of viable solutions for sulfur-bearing compounds is presented. It also provides the details of searching for quantum critical points (QCPs) and possible superconductors by suppressing ferromagnetic states via chemical substitution and the application of pressure. The ferromagnetism in La(V_xCr_1-x)Ge₃ was successfully suppressed by pressure, and, in addition, a potential QCP at ambient pressure was discovered for x = 0.16. On the other hand, the La(V_xCr_1-x)Sb₃ series is likely to evolve into new magnetic state with V-substitution with the Cr-based magnetism appearing to be more local-moment like than for the case of LaCrGe₃. We also performed detailed characterization on BaSn₅ superconductor, giving further understanding of its superconducting state, and on R₃Ni_2-xSn₇ and RNi_1-xBi_2±y series putting to rest spurious claims of superconductivity.

FY 1996 report on the results of the development of superconductor power application technology. Study of a total system, etc. (Investigational study of the introductory effect); 1996 nendo chodendo denryoku oyo gijutsu kaihatsu seika hokokusho. Total system nado no kenkyu (donyu koka no chosa kenkyu)

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

NONE

1997-03-01

Under the secondary interim assessment made in FY 1995 between the assessment committee of the energy/environment technology development sectional meeting of the Industrial Technology Deliberation Council and NEDO, in this project, the following were conducted in FY 1996: study of trial manufacture of superconductor motor model machine and R and D of element technology (conductor technology/refrigerator technology). The study was proceeded mainly with Super-GM, and as to the motor, the preparation for test on a part of the model machines was finished. Considering FY 1998 which is the final year of this project, the investigational study in FY 1996 aims at accumulating/arranging/analyzing the data which help judge how to proceed with the future R and D of superconductor power application technology continuously based on the secondary interim assessment. For superconductor motor and various superconductor power appliance, economical/technical feasibilities and methods of R and D and surveys of trends in Japan and abroad for the R and D were made important items. Further, 'R and D of the basement of superconductor power application' proposed in the secondary interim assessment (R and D of the combination of elements which become the basement of equipment technology over a stage of parallel R and D of element technology of conductor, etc.) targeted the presentation of concrete details. (NEDO)

FY 1996 report on the results of the development of superconductor power application technology. Study of a total system, etc. (Investigational study of the introductory effect); 1996 nendo chodendo denryoku oyo gijutsu kaihatsu seika hokokusho. Total system nado no kenkyu (donyu koka no chosa kenkyu)

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

NONE

1997-03-01

Under the secondary interim assessment made in FY 1995 between the assessment committee of the energy/environment technology development sectional meeting of the Industrial Technology Deliberation Council and NEDO, in this project, the following were conducted in FY 1996: study of trial manufacture of superconductor motor model machine and R and D of element technology (conductor technology/refrigerator technology). The study was proceeded mainly with Super-GM, and as to the motor, the preparation for test on a part of the model machines was finished. Considering FY 1998 which is the final year of this project, the investigational study in FY 1996 aims at accumulating/arranging/analyzing the data which help judge how to proceed with the future R and D of superconductor power application technology continuously based on the secondary interim assessment. For superconductor motor and various superconductor power appliance, economical/technical feasibilities and methods of R and D and surveys of trends in Japan and abroad for the R and D were made important items. Further, 'R and D of the basement of superconductor power application' proposed in the secondary interim assessment (R and D of the combination of elements which become the basement of equipment technology over a stage of parallel R and D of element technology of conductor, etc.) targeted the presentation of concrete details. (NEDO)

Properties of amorphous and microcrystalline superconductors

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Johnson, W.L.; Poon, S.J.

1975-01-01

Results of x-ray diffraction, electrical resistivity, critical field(H/sub c2/) and transport measurements are presented and discussed for bulk amorphous and microcrystalline transition metal alloys (Au--La, Nb--Rh, Nb--Ni--Rh, and Pd--Zr) obtained by liquid quenching. The transition temperature of the alloys is in the range 1.5 to 4.7 0 K. The J/sub c/--H/sub c2/--T/sub c/ relations are rather simple for this class of material and are compared with the theories of type II superconductors. The high resistance of bulk metallic glass to radiation damage might render them suitable for magnetic field applications in high radiation environments

Electron refrigeration in hybrid structures with spin-split superconductors

Science.gov (United States)

Rouco, M.; Heikkilä, T. T.; Bergeret, F. S.

2018-01-01

Electron tunneling between superconductors and normal metals has been used for an efficient refrigeration of electrons in the latter. Such cooling is a nonlinear effect and usually requires a large voltage. Here we study the electron cooling in heterostructures based on superconductors with a spin-splitting field coupled to normal metals via spin-filtering barriers. The cooling power shows a linear term in the applied voltage. This improves the coefficient of performance of electron refrigeration in the normal metal by shifting its optimum cooling to lower voltage, and also allows for cooling the spin-split superconductor by reverting the sign of the voltage. We also show how tunnel coupling spin-split superconductors with regular ones allows for a highly efficient refrigeration of the latter.

Winter Annual Weed Response to Nitrogen Sources and Application Timings prior to a Burndown Corn Herbicide

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Kelly A. Nelson

2015-01-01

Full Text Available Autumn and early preplant N applications, sources, and placement may affect winter annual weed growth. Field research evaluated (1 the effect of different nitrogen sources in autumn and early preplant on total winter annual weed growth (2006–2010, and (2 strip-till and broadcast no-till N applied in autumn and early preplant on henbit (Lamium amplexicaule L. growth (2008–2010 prior to a burndown herbicide application. Total winter annual weed biomass was greater than the nontreated control when applying certain N sources in autumn or early preplant for no-till corn. Anhydrous ammonia had the lowest average weed density (95 weeds m−2, though results were inconsistent over the years. Winter annual weed biomass was lowest (43 g m−2 when applying 32% urea ammonium nitrate in autumn and was similar to applying anhydrous ammonia in autumn or early preplant and the nontreated control. Henbit biomass was 28% greater when applying N in the autumn compared to an early preplant application timing. Nitrogen placement along with associated tillage with strip-till placement was important in reducing henbit biomass. Nitrogen source selection, application timing, and placement affected the impact of N on winter annual weed growth and should be considered when recommending a burndown herbicide application timing.

Zeroth order phase transition in a holographic superconductor with single impurity

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Zeng, Hua Bi; Zhang, Hai-Qing

We investigate the single normal impurity effect in a superconductor by the holographic method. When the size of impurity is much smaller than the host superconductor, we can reproduce the Anderson theorem, which states that a conventional s-wave superconductor is robust to a normal (non-magnetic)

New electrodynamic and electrostatic models with applications to antenna theory, superconductor slots, and lasers

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Eggleston, S.W.

1988-01-01

The common set of functions used as a basis for the solution to Helmholtz and Laplace's equations is expanded to include solutions not found in the handbooks. With this complete set of basis functions of integer indexes, a multicentered model is developed using Debye-like potentials for electrodynamics and standard potentials for electrostatics. The resonant modes of the model are the exact solution to a wide variety of thin linear antennas and antenna-like structures, narrow linear gaps in superconductors, microscopic linear lasers, and arbitrary linear charge distributions. The model is applied to a linear antenna of large-diameter, via Pocklington's and Hallen's integral equation. The nonsinusoidal current of this linear antenna of large-diameter is decomposed into idealized components using equal and unequal spacing, and single and many centered linear antennas. Babinet's principal is brought into play to apply the model to gaps in superconductors. The model of a laser is in the microscopic domain, a domain that has not been looked at previously. The electrostatic model allows the modeling of an arbitrary linear charge distribution between two points

Published assessments bearing on the future use of ceramic superconductors by the electric power sector

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Giese, R.F.; Wolsky, A.M.

1992-01-01

Much has been written about ceramic superconductors since their discovery in 1986. Most of this writing reports and describes scientific research. However, some authors have sought to put this research in context: to assess where the field stands, what might be technically feasible, what might be economically feasible, and what potential impacts ceramic superconductors will bring to the electric power sector. This report's purpose is to make the results of already published assessments readily available. To that end, this report lists and provides abstracts for various technical and economic assessments related to applications of High-Temperature Superconductors (HTS) to the electric power sector. Those studies deemed most important are identified and summarized. These assessments were identified by two means. First, members of the Executive Committee identified some reports as worthy of consideration and forwarded them to Argonne National Laboratory. Twelve assessments were selected. Each of these is listed and summarized in the following section. Second, a bibliographic search was performed on five databases: INSPEC, NTIS, COMPENDEX, Energy Science ampersand Technology, and Electric Power Database. The search consisted of first selecting all papers related to High Temperature Superconductors. Then papers related to SMES, cables, generators, motors, fault current limiters, or electric utilities were selected. When suitable variants of the above terms were included, this resulted in a selection of 493 citations. These citations were subjected to review by the authors. A number of citations were determined to be inappropriate (e.g. a number referred to digital transmission lines for electronics and communications applications). The reduced list consisted of 200 entries. Each of these citations, with an abstract, is presented in the following sections

Published assessments bearing on the future use of ceramic superconductors by the electric power sector

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Giese, R.F.; Wolsky, A.M.

1992-08-25

Much has been written about ceramic superconductors since their discovery in 1986. Most of this writing reports and describes scientific research. However, some authors have sought to put this research in context: to assess where the field stands, what might be technically feasible, what might be economically feasible, and what potential impacts ceramic superconductors will bring to the electric power sector. This report's purpose is to make the results of already published assessments readily available. To that end, this report lists and provides abstracts for various technical and economic assessments related to applications of High-Temperature Superconductors (HTS) to the electric power sector. Those studies deemed most important are identified and summarized. These assessments were identified by two means. First, members of the Executive Committee identified some reports as worthy of consideration and forwarded them to Argonne National Laboratory. Twelve assessments were selected. Each of these is listed and summarized in the following section. Second, a bibliographic search was performed on five databases: INSPEC, NTIS, COMPENDEX, Energy Science Technology, and Electric Power Database. The search consisted of first selecting all papers related to High Temperature Superconductors. Then papers related to SMES, cables, generators, motors, fault current limiters, or electric utilities were selected. When suitable variants of the above terms were included, this resulted in a selection of 493 citations. These citations were subjected to review by the authors. A number of citations were determined to be inappropriate (e.g. a number referred to digital transmission lines for electronics and communications applications). The reduced list consisted of 200 entries. Each of these citations, with an abstract, is presented in the following sections.

Published assessments bearing on the future use of ceramic superconductors by the electric power sector

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Giese, R.F.; Wolsky, A.M.

1992-08-25

Much has been written about ceramic superconductors since their discovery in 1986. Most of this writing reports and describes scientific research. However, some authors have sought to put this research in context: to assess where the field stands, what might be technically feasible, what might be economically feasible, and what potential impacts ceramic superconductors will bring to the electric power sector. This report`s purpose is to make the results of already published assessments readily available. To that end, this report lists and provides abstracts for various technical and economic assessments related to applications of High-Temperature Superconductors (HTS) to the electric power sector. Those studies deemed most important are identified and summarized. These assessments were identified by two means. First, members of the Executive Committee identified some reports as worthy of consideration and forwarded them to Argonne National Laboratory. Twelve assessments were selected. Each of these is listed and summarized in the following section. Second, a bibliographic search was performed on five databases: INSPEC, NTIS, COMPENDEX, Energy Science & Technology, and Electric Power Database. The search consisted of first selecting all papers related to High Temperature Superconductors. Then papers related to SMES, cables, generators, motors, fault current limiters, or electric utilities were selected. When suitable variants of the above terms were included, this resulted in a selection of 493 citations. These citations were subjected to review by the authors. A number of citations were determined to be inappropriate (e.g. a number referred to digital transmission lines for electronics and communications applications). The reduced list consisted of 200 entries. Each of these citations, with an abstract, is presented in the following sections.

Quasiparticle Green's function theory of the Josephson effect in chiral p-wave superconductor/diffusive normal metal/chiral p-wave superconductor junctions

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Sawa, Y.; Yokoyama, T.; Tanaka, Y.; Golubov, Alexandre Avraamovitch

2007-01-01

We study the Josephson effect in chiral p-wave superconductor/diffusive normal metal (DN)/chiral p-wave superconductor (CP/DN/CP) junctions using quasiclassical Green's function formalism with proper boundary conditions. The px+ipy-wave symmetry of superconducting order parameter is chosen which is

Superconductors go organic

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Singleton, John; Mielke, Charles

2002-01-01

Superconductors made from organic molecules are revealing fascinating new physics and could offer huge technological potential as well. Solid-state physicists are simple people. They believe that basic research is best carried out on chemically simple materials. Traditionally they have focused on inorganic elements, alloys, and other straightforward compounds. This approach has provided some notable successes. For example, any physicist over 35 will remember the huge fuss surrounding the discovery of high-temperature cuprate superconductors in 1986, which led to the infamous 'Woodstock of physics' meeting the following year. Just before the cuprates were discovered, however, an alternative view had begun to emerge. Physical chemists such as Klaus Bechgaard, Peter Day, Gunzi Saito, Viktor Schegolev and Jack Williams were suggesting that the 'simple-materials-are-best' assumption was misplaced. They argued that some of the most exciting studies in solid-state physics can - and should - be attempted on crystalline organic materials. Although chemically complex, such materials are beautifully simple in other ways, and they can, for example, provide much more information about basic phenomena like superconductivity and magnetism than supposedly simple materials. Physicists eventually embraced these materials with enthusiasm, and the number of papers on crystalline organic metals overtook those on the high-temperature cuprate superconductors three years ago. The gap has widened ever since, and the fact that God and a billion years of evolution have produced a processor based on three-dimensional arrays of molecules, rather than silicon or gallium-arsenide chips, is taken as a good omen by those working in the field. (U.K.)

New possibilities for superconductor electronics

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Likharev, K.K.; Semenov, V.K.; Zorin, A.B.

1989-01-01

Situation in the superconducting electronics, the field being developed since mid '60s has changed drastically recently as a result of not only discovery of the high-T c superconductivity, but also of the nearly simultaneous invention of several novel electronic devices. A detailed analysis of the new situation and prospects of this important field was carried out recently by the present authors of this paper. A complete report on our analysis is being published elsewhere, while in this paper we are presenting a brief summary of its results. The analysis has shown that the virtually only advantage which can arise from applications of the high-T c superconductors in electronics is a drastic reduction of the refrigeration costs, rather than an improvement of the device performance

Identifying the genes of unconventional high temperature superconductors.

Science.gov (United States)

Hu, Jiangping

We elucidate a recently emergent framework in unifying the two families of high temperature (high [Formula: see text]) superconductors, cuprates and iron-based superconductors. The unification suggests that the latter is simply the counterpart of the former to realize robust extended s-wave pairing symmetries in a square lattice. The unification identifies that the key ingredients (gene) of high [Formula: see text] superconductors is a quasi two dimensional electronic environment in which the d -orbitals of cations that participate in strong in-plane couplings to the p -orbitals of anions are isolated near Fermi energy. With this gene, the superexchange magnetic interactions mediated by anions could maximize their contributions to superconductivity. Creating the gene requires special arrangements between local electronic structures and crystal lattice structures. The speciality explains why high [Formula: see text] superconductors are so rare. An explicit prediction is made to realize high [Formula: see text] superconductivity in Co/Ni-based materials with a quasi two dimensional hexagonal lattice structure formed by trigonal bipyramidal complexes.

Density of states and tunneling characteristics of layered superconductors

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Liu, S.H.; Klemm, R.A.

1993-04-01

We have studied the structure of the density-of-states (DOS) curves and tunneling characteristics of layered superconductors with two distinct layers in a unit cell. In general, the peaks of the DOS curves do not correspond to energy gaps of each layer, but depend on the gaps and the interlayer hopping strengths in a complex manner. This makes the interpretation of tunneling data of layered superconductors much less straightforward than isotropic superconductors. Our simulated tunneling characteristics bear certain resemblance to experimental results

Applications of Superconductivity and Impact on U.S. Economy

Science.gov (United States)

Selvamanickam, Venkat

2014-03-01

In the past few decades, low temperature superconducting wires (niobium-titanium) have enabled multibillion dollar industries such as magnetic resonance imaging and nuclear magnetic resonance spectroscopy which otherwise would not have been possible. High temperature superconductors (HTS) hold the promise of impacting even a larger market in diverse applications such as energy, health, military, telecommunication, transportation and research. HTS tapes are now being manufactured in quantities of few hundred kilometers annually with current carrying capacity of about 300 times that of copper wire of the same cross section. Power transmission cables up to few kilometers in length made with HTS tapes have already been inserted in the power grid world-wide. In the past few of years, tremendous advancements have occurred in nanoscale defect engineering in these thin film superconducting tapes that has led to a doubling of critical current performance in high magnetic fields and operating temperatures of interest for various applications. Technologies developed in this area have been successfully inserted in production HTS tapes by industry. With the availability of such high performance HTS tapes, a number of coil-based applications are now being aggressively pursued by several institutions. HTS coils enable power devices with high power density with significant weight, size and power benefits. Energy storage, generation, use, transformation and transmission applications as well as magnetic applications such as magnetic shields, plasma confinement, and ultra-high field magnets are becoming possible with the availability of high-performance HTS tapes. An overview of the development and use of superconductors in electric power and magnetic applications will be provided in this presentation.

Use of superconductors for storage and discharge of electrical energy

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Sole, J.

1968-01-01

After recalling the elementary properties which led to superconductors being used for generating very strong magnetic fields, as well as the methods used to attain the required very low temperatures in practice, the author presents in its elementary form the principle of storage and liberation of energy. A more detailed analysis of the successive charging, trapping, storage and discharge operations shows up the different aspects of the problem and is followed by a review of the very small amount of research published up to now and also by a presentation of the original work which has been carried out in this field. It is already possible to use superconducting materials as they are (i.e. although their characteristics have been adjusted with a view only to obtain very strong magnetic fields). Much more will be obtained from superconductors when they have been correctly adapted to this new very promising application to the storage and discharge of electrical energy. (authors) [fr

Method and apparatus to trigger superconductors in current limiting devices

Science.gov (United States)

Yuan, Xing; Hazelton, Drew Willard; Walker, Michael Stephen

2004-10-26

A method and apparatus for magnetically triggering a superconductor in a superconducting fault current limiter to transition from a superconducting state to a resistive state. The triggering is achieved by employing current-carrying trigger coil or foil on either or both the inner diameter and outer diameter of a superconductor. The current-carrying coil or foil generates a magnetic field with sufficient strength and the superconductor is disposed within essentially uniform magnetic field region. For superconductor in a tubular-configured form, an additional magnetic field can be generated by placing current-carrying wire or foil inside the tube and along the center axial line.

Probing superconductors. Spectroscopic-imaging scanning tunneling microscopy

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Hanaguri, Tetsuo

2011-01-01

Discovery of high-temperature superconductivity in a cuprate triggered developments of various spectroscopic tools which have been utilized to elucidate electronic states of this mysterious compound. Particularly, angle-resolved photoemission spectroscopy and scanning-tunneling microscopy/spectroscopy are improved considerably. It is now possible to map the superconducting gap in both momentum and real spaces using these two techniques. Here we review spectroscopic-imaging scanning tunneling microscopy which is able to explore momentum-space phase structure of the superconducting gap, as well as real-space structure. Applications of this technique to a cuprate and an iron-based superconductor are discussed. (author)

Quantum critical point in high-temperature superconductors

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Shaginyan, V.R. [Petersburg Nuclear Physics Institute, RAS, Gatchina 188300 (Russian Federation); Racah Institute of Physics, Hebrew University, Jerusalem 91904 (Israel)], E-mail: vrshag@thd.pnpi.spb.ru; Amusia, M.Ya. [Racah Institute of Physics, Hebrew University, Jerusalem 91904 (Israel); Popov, K.G. [Komi Science Center, Ural Division, RAS, Syktyvkar 167982 (Russian Federation); Stephanovich, V.A. [Opole University, Institute of Mathematics and Informatics, Opole 45-052 (Poland)], E-mail: stef@math.uni.opole.pl

2009-02-02

Recently, in high-T{sub c} superconductors (HTSC), exciting measurements have been performed revealing their physics in superconducting and pseudogap states and in normal one induced by the application of magnetic field, when the transition from non-Fermi liquid to Landau-Fermi liquid behavior occurs. We employ a theory, based on fermion condensation quantum phase transition which is able to explain facts obtained in the measurements. We also show, that in spite of very different microscopic nature of HTSC, heavy-fermion metals and 2D {sup 3}He, the physical properties of these three classes of substances are similar to each other.

Effect of transparency on the Josephson junction between D-wave superconductors

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Rashedi, G

2008-01-01

In this paper, a dc Josephson junction between two singlet superconductors (d-wave and s-wave) with arbitrary reflection coefficient has been investigated theoretically following the famous paper [Y. Tanaka and S. Kashiwaya 1996 Phys. Rev. B 53, R11957]. For the case of High T c superconductors, the c-axes are parallel to an interface with finite transparency and their ab-planes have a mis-orientation. The effect of transparency and mis-orientation on the currents is studied both analytically and numerically. It is observed that, the current phase relations are totally different from the case of ideal transparent Josephson junctions between d-wave superconductors and two s-wave superconductors. This apparatus can be used to demonstrate d-wave order parameter in High T c superconductors

Tunneling conductance in semiconductor-superconductor hybrid structures

Science.gov (United States)

Stenger, John; Stanescu, Tudor D.

2017-12-01

We study the differential conductance for charge tunneling into a semiconductor wire-superconductor hybrid structure, which is actively investigated as a possible scheme for realizing topological superconductivity and Majorana zero modes. The calculations are done based on a tight-binding model of the heterostructure using both a Blonder-Tinkham-Klapwijk approach and a Keldysh nonequilibrium Green's function method. The dependence of various tunneling conductance features on the coupling strength between the semiconductor and the superconductor, the tunnel barrier height, and temperature is systematically investigated. We find that treating the parent superconductor as an active component of the system, rather than a passive source of Cooper pairs, has qualitative consequences regarding the low-energy behavior of the differential conductance. In particular, the presence of subgap states in the parent superconductor, due to disorder and finite magnetic fields, leads to characteristic particle-hole asymmetric features and to the breakdown of the quantization of the zero-bias peak associated with the presence of Majorana zero modes localized at the ends of the wire. The implications of these findings for the effort toward the realization of Majorana bound states with true non-Abelian properties are discussed.

Rigid levitation, flux pinning, thermal depinning, and fluctuation in high-Tc superconductors

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Brandt, E.H.

1991-01-01

Here, the author shows that the strong velocity-independent frictional force on a levitating superconductor and on any type-II superconductor moving in a homogeneous magnetic field is caused by pinning and depinning of the magnetic flux lines in its interior. Levitation may thus be used to investigate the pinning properties of a superconductor, and friction in a superconductor bearing may be minimized by choosing appropriate materials and geometries

Sem-EDAX'S Application For Characterization Of Superconductor Material Of (Bi,Pb)-Sr-Ca-Cu-O

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Handayani, Ari; Wuryanto; Prambudi, Bambang

1996-01-01

The microstructure and composition analysis of superconductor material of (Bi,Pb)-Sr-Ca-Cu-O which were synthesized by two different processes (CA and CD Process) by varying the sintering time, i.e. 20,60 and 100 hours were done by using SEM-EDAX method. The standard sample of superconductor material of Bi-Sr-Ca-Cu-O with 1112, 2212 and 2223 phase from Stream has been used for comparison, At 25 kV, the composition analysis showed that, at 20 and 60 hours of sintering, a mixture of phases existed while 100 hours of sintering resulted in a phase close to phase 2223. The result of microstructure observation showed significant differences. At synthesized CA process, 100 hours of sintering gives bigger and clearer platelet microstructure shape than that given by 20 and 60 hours of sintering. Also from the synthesized CD process, the 60 and 100 hours of sintering gives bigger and clearer platelet microstructure shape than that given by the 20 hours of sintering

Engineering design of a high-temperature superconductor current lead

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Niemann, R.C.; Cha, Y.S.; Hull, J.R.; Daugherty, M.A.; Buckles, W.E.

1993-01-01

As part of the US Department of Energy's Superconductivity Pilot Center Program, Argonne National Laboratory and Superconductivity, Inc., are developing high-temperature superconductor (HTS) current leads suitable for application to superconducting magnetic energy storage systems. The principal objective of the development program is to design, construct, and evaluate the performance of HTS current leads suitable for near-term applications. Supporting objectives are to (1) develop performance criteria; (2) develop a detailed design; (3) analyze performance; (4) gain manufacturing experience in the areas of materials and components procurement, fabrication and assembly, quality assurance, and cost; (5) measure performance of critical components and the overall assembly; (6) identify design uncertainties and develop a program for their study; and (7) develop application-acceptance criteria

Engineering design of a high-temperature superconductor current lead

Science.gov (United States)

Niemann, R. C.; Cha, Y. S.; Hull, J. R.; Daugherty, M. A.; Buckles, W. E.

As part of the US Department of Energy's Superconductivity Pilot Center Program, Argonne National Laboratory and Superconductivity, Inc., are developing high-temperature superconductor (HTS) current leads suitable for application to superconducting magnetic energy storage systems. The principal objective of the development program is to design, construct, and evaluate the performance of HTS current leads suitable for near-term applications. Supporting objectives are to (1) develop performance criteria; (2) develop a detailed design; (3) analyze performance; (4) gain manufacturing experience in the areas of materials and components procurement, fabrication and assembly, quality assurance, and cost; (5) measure performance of critical components and the overall assembly; (6) identify design uncertainties and develop a program for their study; and (7) develop application-acceptance criteria.

Positron annihilation studies on high temperature superconductors

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Sundar, C.S.; Bharathi, A.

1991-01-01

The results of positron annihilation measurements as a function of temperature, across Tc, in a variety of high temperature superconductors such as Y-Ba-Cu-O (Y1237), Y-Ba-Cu-O (Y1248), Bi-Sr-Ca-Cu-O, Tl-Ba-Ca-Cu-O, Ba-K-Bi-O and Nd-Ce-Cu-O are presented. It is shown that the variation of annihilation parameters in the superconducting state is correlated with the diposition of the positron density distribution with respect to the superconducting CuO planes. An increase in positron lifetime is observed below Tc when the positrons probe the CuO planes whereas a decrease in lifetime is observed when the positron density overlaps predominantly with the apical oxygen atom. With this correlation, the different temperature variation of annihilation parameters, seen in the various high temperature superconductors, is understood in terms of a local charge transfer from the planar oxygen atom to the apical oxygen atom. The significance of these results in the context of various theoretical models of high temperature superconductivity is discussed. In addition, the application of positron annihilation spectroscopy to the study of oxygen defects in the Y-Ba-Cu-O, Bi-Sr-Ca-Cu-O and Nd-Ce-Cu-O is presented. (author). 53 refs., 17 figs., 2 tabs

Phenomenological description of anisotropy effects in some ferromagnetic superconductors

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Shopova, Diana V., E-mail: sho@issp.bas.bg [TCCM Research Group, Institute of Solid State Physics, Bulgarian Academy of Sciences, BG-1784 Sofia (Bulgaria); Todorov, Michail D. [Department of Applied Mathematics and Computer Science, Technical University of Sofia, 1000 Sofia (Bulgaria)

2015-07-03

We study phenomenologically the role of anisotropy in ferromagnetic superconductors UGe{sub 2}, URhGe, and UCoGe for the description of their phase diagrams. We use the Ginzburg–Landau free energy in its uniform form as we will consider only spatially independent solutions. This is an expansion of previously derived results where the effect of Cooper-pair and crystal anisotropies is not taken into account. The three compounds are separately discussed with the special stress on UGe{sub 2}. The main effect comes from the strong uniaxial anisotropy of magnetization while the anisotropy of Cooper pairs and crystal anisotropy only slightly change the phase diagram in the vicinity of Curie temperature. The limitations of this approach are also discussed. - Highlights: • Anisotropic Landau energy for description of ferromagnetic superconductors is proposed. • Meissner phases are described with their existence and stability conditions. • The application of the model to UGe{sub 2} is discussed. • The limitations to apply the model for description of experimental data are explained.

Study of the glass formation of high temperature superconductors

Science.gov (United States)

Ethridge, Edwin C.; Kaukler, William F.; Rolin, Terry

1992-01-01

A number of compositions of ceramic oxide high T(sub c) superconductors were elevated for their glass formation ability by means of rapid thermal analysis during quenching, optical, and electron microscopy of the quenched samples, and with subsequent DSC measurements. Correlations between experimental measurements and the methodical composition changes identified the formulations of superconductors that can easily form glass. The superconducting material was first formed as a glass; then, with subsequent devitrification, it was formed into a bulk crystalline superconductor by a series of processing methods.

Epitaxial heterojunctions of oxide semiconductors and metals on high temperature superconductors

Science.gov (United States)

Vasquez, Richard P. (Inventor); Hunt, Brian D. (Inventor); Foote, Marc C. (Inventor)

1994-01-01

Epitaxial heterojunctions formed between high temperature superconductors and metallic or semiconducting oxide barrier layers are provided. Metallic perovskites such as LaTiO3, CaVO3, and SrVO3 are grown on electron-type high temperature superconductors such as Nd(1.85)Ce(0.15)CuO(4-x). Alternatively, transition metal bronzes of the form A(x)MO(3) are epitaxially grown on electron-type high temperature superconductors. Also, semiconducting oxides of perovskite-related crystal structures such as WO3 are grown on either hole-type or electron-type high temperature superconductors.

Experimental constraints on theories of high Tc superconductors

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Little, W.A.

1989-01-01

Recent experiments on the high-T c superconductors have begun to narrow the possible theoretical explanations of the phenomenon. Experimental evidence on the size, structure and symmetry of the charge carriers will be reviewed; evidence for and against strong coupling; and, recent results on a search for direct evidence of magnetic signature in the coupling mechanism will be presented. The authors show how these experiments impose strong constraints on the theories of these superconductors. A new type of experiment is also discussed which appears capable of identifying the true nature of the coupling mechanism if the superconductors prove to be BCS-like in nature

Electronic Raman response in electron-doped cuprate superconductors

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Geng Zhihao; Feng Shiping

2012-01-01

The electronic Raman response in the electron-doped cuprate superconductors is studied based on the t-t'-J model. It is shown that although the domelike shape of the doping dependent peak energy in the B 2g symmetry is a common feature for both electron-doped and hole-doped cuprate superconductors, there are pronounced deviations from a cubic response in the B 2g channel and a linear response in the B 2g channel for the electron-doped case in the low energy limit. It is also shown that these pronounced deviations are mainly caused by a nonmonotonic d-wave gap in the electron-doped cuprate superconductors.

Magnetization studies in high temperature and conventional superconductors

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Grover, A.K.; Chaddah, P.

1991-01-01

In this paper, the authors state the contemporary view of the physical basis of a celebrated phenomenological model for hard superconductors. The authors highlight the qualitative and general predictions of this model relevant to various magnetic measurements. The authors give prescriptions to correlate data of different experiments with the predictions of the model with the intention of extracting information on material parameters, like J c (H), pinning potential, etc. These prescriptions will be illustrated with the data on both conventional and HTSC superconductors. The correlation of these data with the predictions of the model underscores the similarity in behaviour between the two classes of hard superconductors

Holographic superconductor in the analytic hairy black hole

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Myung, Yun Soo; Park, Chanyong

2011-01-01

We study the charged black hole of hyperbolic horizon with scalar hair (charged Martinez-Troncoso-Zanelli: CMTZ black hole) as a model of analytic hairy black hole for holographic superconductor. For this purpose, we investigate the second order phase transition between CMTZ and hyperbolic Reissner-Nordstroem-AdS (HRNAdS) black holes. However, this transition unlikely occurs. As an analytic treatment for holographic superconductor, we develop superconductor in the bulk and superfluidity on the boundary using the CMTZ black hole below the critical temperature. The presence of charge destroys the condensates around the zero temperature, which is in accord with the thermodynamic analysis of the CMTZ black hole.

Chemical stability of high-temperature superconductors

Science.gov (United States)

Bansal, Narottam P.

1992-01-01

A review of the available studies on the chemical stability of the high temperature superconductors (HTS) in various environments was made. The La(1.8)Ba(0.2)CuO4 HTS is unstable in the presence of H2O, CO2, and CO. The YBa2Cu3O(7-x) superconductor is highly susceptible to degradation in different environments, especially water. The La(2-x)Ba(x)CuO4 and Bi-Sr-Ca-Cu-O HTS are relatively less reactive than the YBa2Cu3O(7-x). Processing of YBa2Cu3O(7-x) HTS in purified oxygen, rather than in air, using high purity noncarbon containing starting materials is recommended. Exposure of this HTS to the ambient atmosphere should also be avoided at all stages during processing and storage. Devices and components made out of these oxide superconductors would have to be protected with an impermeable coating of a polymer, glass, or metal to avoid deterioration during use.

Towards ferromagnet/superconductor junctions on graphene

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Pakkayil, Shijin Babu

2015-01-01

Ever since A. Aspect et al. performed the famous 1982 experiment to prove the violation of Bell's inequality, there have been suggestions to conduct the same experiment in a solid state system. Some of those proposals involve superconductors as the source of entangled electron pair and spin depended interfaces as the optical analogue of polariser/filter. Semiconductors can serve as the best medium for such an experiment due to their long relaxation lengths. So far there are no reports on a ferromagnet/superconductor junctions on a semiconductor even though such junctions has been successfully realised in metallic systems. This thesis reports the successful fabrication of ferromagnet/superconductor junction along with characterising measurements in a perfectly two dimensional zero-gap semiconductor known as graphene. Since it's discovery in 2004, graphene has attracted prodigious interest from both academia and industry due to it's inimitable physical properties: very high mobility, high thermal and electrical conductivity, a high Young's modulus and impermeability. Graphene is also expected to have very long spin relaxation length and high spin life time because of it's low spin orbit coupling. For this reason and since researchers are always looking for novel materials and devices to comply with the high demands for better and faster data storage devices, graphene has emanated as a brand new material system for spin based devices. The very first spin injection and detection in graphene was realised in 2007 and ever since, the focal point of the research has been to improve the spin transport properties. A part of this thesis discusses a new fabrication recipe which has a high yield for successfully contacting graphene with a ferromagnet. A high starting yield for ferromagnetic contacts is a irremissible condition for combining superconducting contacts to the device to fabricate ferromagnet/superconductor junctions. Any fabrication recipe

Towards ferromagnet/superconductor junctions on graphene

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Pakkayil, Shijin Babu

2015-07-01

Ever since A. Aspect et al. performed the famous 1982 experiment to prove the violation of Bell's inequality, there have been suggestions to conduct the same experiment in a solid state system. Some of those proposals involve superconductors as the source of entangled electron pair and spin depended interfaces as the optical analogue of polariser/filter. Semiconductors can serve as the best medium for such an experiment due to their long relaxation lengths. So far there are no reports on a ferromagnet/superconductor junctions on a semiconductor even though such junctions has been successfully realised in metallic systems. This thesis reports the successful fabrication of ferromagnet/superconductor junction along with characterising measurements in a perfectly two dimensional zero-gap semiconductor known as graphene. Since it's discovery in 2004, graphene has attracted prodigious interest from both academia and industry due to it's inimitable physical properties: very high mobility, high thermal and electrical conductivity, a high Young's modulus and impermeability. Graphene is also expected to have very long spin relaxation length and high spin life time because of it's low spin orbit coupling. For this reason and since researchers are always looking for novel materials and devices to comply with the high demands for better and faster data storage devices, graphene has emanated as a brand new material system for spin based devices. The very first spin injection and detection in graphene was realised in 2007 and ever since, the focal point of the research has been to improve the spin transport properties. A part of this thesis discusses a new fabrication recipe which has a high yield for successfully contacting graphene with a ferromagnet. A high starting yield for ferromagnetic contacts is a irremissible condition for combining superconducting contacts to the device to fabricate ferromagnet/superconductor junctions. Any fabrication recipe

Fractional Josephson vortices in two-gap superconductor long Josephson junctions

Science.gov (United States)

Kim, Ju

2014-03-01

We investigated the phase dynamics of long Josephson junctions (LJJ) with two-gap superconductors in the broken time reversal symmetry state. In this LJJ, spatial phase textures (i-solitons) can be excited due to the presence of two condensates and the interband Joesphson effect between them. The presence of a spatial phase texture in each superconductor layer leads to a spatial variation of the critical current density between the superconductor layers. We find that this spatial dependence of the crtitical current density can self-generate magnetic flux in the insulator layer, resulting in Josephson vortices with fractional flux quanta. Similar to the situation in a YBa2 Cu3O7 - x superconductor film grain boundary, the fractionalization of a Josephson vortex arises as a response to either periodic or random excitation of i-solitions. This suggests that magnetic flux measurements may be used to probe i-soliton excitations in multi-gap superconductor LJJs.

Modeling of superconductors based on the timedependent Ginsburg-Landau equations

Science.gov (United States)

Grishakov, K. S.; Degtyarenko, P. N.; Degtyarenko, N. N.; Elesin, V. F.; Kruglov, V. S.

2009-11-01

Results of modeling of superconductor magnetization process based on a numerical solution of the timedependent Ginsburg-Landau equations are presented. Methods of grid approximation of the equations and method of finite elements are used. Two-dimensional patterns of changes in the order parameter and supercurrent distribution in superconductors are calculated and visualized. The main results are in agreement with the well-known representations for type I and II superconductors.

Charge and spin transport in mesoscopic superconductors

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

M. J. Wolf

2014-02-01

Full Text Available Background: Non-equilibrium charge transport in superconductors has been investigated intensely in the 1970s and 1980s, mostly in the vicinity of the critical temperature. Much less attention has been paid to low temperatures and the role of the quasiparticle spin.Results: We report here on nonlocal transport in superconductor hybrid structures at very low temperatures. By comparing the nonlocal conductance obtained by using ferromagnetic and normal-metal detectors, we discriminate charge and spin degrees of freedom. We observe spin injection and long-range transport of pure, chargeless spin currents in the regime of large Zeeman splitting. We elucidate charge and spin transport by comparison to theoretical models.Conclusion: The observed long-range chargeless spin transport opens a new path to manipulate and utilize the quasiparticle spin in superconductor nanostructures.

Atomic hydrogen effects on high-Tc superconductors

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Frantskevich, N.V.; Ulyashin, A.G.; Alifanov, A.V.; Stepanenko, A.V.; Fedotova, V.V.

1999-01-01

The atomic hydrogen effects on the properties of bulk high-temperature superconductors were investigated. It is shown that the insertion of the atomic hydrogen into the bulk of these materials from a DC plasma leads to the increase of the critical current density J c for YBaCuO(123) as well as for BiSrCaCuO(2223) high-temperature superconductors. It is found that the hydrogenation of the He implanted samples with following annealing leads to the optically detected blistering on the surface. It means that the textured thin subsurface layers of high-temperature superconductors can be formed by this method. The improvement of superconductivity by atomic hydrogen can be explained by the passivation of dangling bonds and defects on grain boundaries of these materials

Different types of superconductors: their effect on equipment design

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Ansart, A.; Manuel, P.; Fevrier, A.

1989-01-01

Development of superconductors for AC current and of higher critical temperature superconducting materials enlarged the field of research in cryoelectrotechnic. The paper discusses the materials characteristics in relation with the functional needs in the equipments. Are reviewed the main points governing conductor design for a given application, the characteristics and manufacturing technics for different superconducting materials. It is shown how lighter, smaller equipments can be designed as well as new ones for functions not covered with present apparatus. 17 refs [fr

Five-fold way to new high Tc superconductors

Indian Academy of Sciences (India)

Discovery of high c superconductivity in La2−BaCuO4 by Bednorz and Muller in 1986 was a breakthrough in the 75-year long search for new superconductors. Since then new high c superconductors, not involving copper, have also been discovered. Superconductivity in cuprates also inspired resonating valence ...

Feasibility of introducing ferromagnetic materials to onboard bulk high-Tc superconductors to enhance the performance of present maglev systems

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Deng, Zigang; Wang, Jiasu; Zheng, Jun; Zhang, Ya; Wang, Suyu

2013-01-01

Highlights: ► Ferromagnetic materials guide the flux distribution of the PMG to bulk positions. ► With ferromagnetic materials, guidance performance can be enhanced greatly. ► A new HTS Maglev system with onboard ferromagnetic materials is designed. ► The design can meet large guidance force requirements for practical applications. -- Abstract: Performance improvement is a long-term research task for the promotion of practical application of promising high-temperature superconducting (HTS) magnetic levitation (maglev) vehicle technologies. We studied the feasibility to enhance the performance of present HTS Maglev systems by introducing ferromagnetic materials to onboard bulk superconductors. The principle here is to make use of the high magnetic permeability of ferromagnetic materials to alter the flux distribution of the permanent magnet guideway for the enhancement of magnetic field density at the position of the bulk superconductors. Ferromagnetic iron plates were added to the upper surface of bulk superconductors and their geometric and positioning effects on the maglev performance were investigated experimentally. Results show that the guidance performance (stability) was enhanced greatly for a particular setup when compared to the present maglev system which is helpful in the application where large guidance forces are needed such as maglev tracks with high degrees of curves

A method to estimate the necessary twist pitch in multi-filamentary superconductors

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Lindau, S; Magnusson, N; Taxt, H

2014-01-01

Twisting of multi-filamentary superconductors is an important step in the development of wires with AC losses at an acceptable level for AC applications. The necessary twist pitch depends on wire architecture, critical current density, matrix material, and external factors such as temperature, frequency and applied magnetic field. The development of an AC optimized MgB 2 superconductor would be facilitated by a fast method to set the requirements for the twist pitch. A problem often encountered when comparing wires with different twist pitches is the degradation in critical current occurring at small twist pitches due to mechanical deformation. In this work we propose to use a non-twisted conductor to estimate the influence of twisting on the AC losses. A long superconductor is cut into smaller lengths, each simulating one third of the twist pitch, and the AC losses due to applied magnetic fields are compared between samples of different lengths. With this method, the effect of reducing the size of the loop of the coupling currents is studied without changing the superconducting parameters. AC loss measurement results are presented for a round titanium matrix MgB 2 wire with simulated twist pitches between 9 mm and 87 mm.

Magnetoanisotropic spin-triplet Andreev reflection in ferromagnet-Ising superconductor junctions

Science.gov (United States)

Lv, Peng; Zhou, Yan-Feng; Yang, Ning-Xuan; Sun, Qing-Feng

2018-04-01

We theoretically study the electronic transport through a ferromagnet-Ising superconductor junction. A tight-binding Hamiltonian describing the Ising superconductor is presented. Then by combining the nonequilibrium Green's function method, the expressions of Andreev reflection coefficient and conductance are obtained. A strong magnetoanisotropic spin-triplet Andreev reflection is shown, and the magnetoanisotropic period is π instead of 2 π as in the conventional magnetoanisotropic system. We demonstrate a significant increase of the spin-triplet Andreev reflection for the single-band Ising superconductor. Furthermore, the dependence of the Andreev reflection on the incident energy and incident angle are also investigated. A complete Andreev reflection can occur when the incident energy is equal to the superconducting gap, regardless of the Fermi energy (spin polarization) of the ferromagnet. For the suitable oblique incidence, the spin-triplet Andreev reflection can be strongly enhanced. In addition, the conductance spectroscopies of both zero bias and finite bias are studied, and the influence of gate voltage, exchange energy, and spin-orbit coupling on the conductance spectroscopy are discussed in detail. The conductance exhibits a strong magnetoanisotropy with period π as the Andreev reflection coefficient. When the magnetization direction is parallel to the junction plane, a large conductance peak always emerges at the superconducting gap. This work offers a comprehensive and systematic study of the spin-triplet Andreev reflection and has an underlying application of π -periodic spin valve in spintronics.

The refrigeration of high temperature superconductors between 25K and 65K

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Richardson, R.N.; Scurlock, R.G.; Tavner, A.C.R.

1996-01-01

The present state of the art indicates that acceptable j - H characteristics for power applications of the new high Tc superconductors will only be achieved using materials at temperatures below liquid nitrogen temperature. A boiling point of 27.1K and high specific cooling capacity make neon an eminently suitable choice of refrigerant at these temperatures. A cryostat has been constructed which employs a two stage Gifford-McMahon cooler to liquefy neon gas. The cryostat contains up to 5 litres of liquid neon which can be used for open-quote in-situ close-quote experiments or transfer to another cryostat. Another set of cryostats are being used with liquid nitrogen/oxygen mixtures at reduced pressure for temperatures down to 50K. All these cryostats provide a core facility for characterising and operating high T c superconductors at Southampton

Hybrid crystals of cuprates and iron-based superconductors

Science.gov (United States)

Xia, Dai; Cong-Cong, Le; Xian-Xin, Wu; Jiang-Ping, Hu

2016-07-01

We propose two possible new compounds, Ba2CuO2Fe2As2 and K2CuO2Fe2Se2, which hybridize the building blocks of two high temperature superconductors, cuprates and iron-based superconductors. These compounds consist of square CuO2 layers and antifluorite-type Fe2 X 2 (X = As, Se) layers separated by Ba/K. The calculations of binding energies and phonon spectra indicate that they are dynamically stable, which ensures that they may be experimentally synthesized. The Fermi surfaces and electronic structures of the two compounds inherit the characteristics of both cuprates and iron-based superconductors. These compounds can be superconductors with intriguing physical properties to help to determine the pairing mechanisms of high T c superconductivity. Project supported by the National Basic Research Program of China (Grant No. 2015CB921300), the National Natural Science Foundation of China (Grant Nos. 1190020 and 11334012), and the Strategic Priority Research Program of Chinese Academy of Sciences (Grant No. XDB07000000).

Normal zone soliton in large composite superconductors

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Kupferman, R.; Mints, R.G.; Ben-Jacob, E.

1992-01-01

The study of normal zone of finite size (normal domains) in superconductors, has been continuously a subject of interest in the field of applied superconductivity. It was shown that in homogeneous superconductors normal domains are always unstable, so that if a normal domain nucleates, it will either expand or shrink. While testing the stability of large cryostable composite superconductors, a new phenomena was found, the existence of stable propagating normal solitons. The formation of these propagating domains was shown to be a result of the high Joule power generated in the superconductor during the relatively long process of current redistribution between the superconductor and the stabilizer. Theoretical studies were performed in investigate the propagation of normal domains in large composite super conductors in the cryostable regime. Huang and Eyssa performed numerical calculations simulating the diffusion of heat and current redistribution in the conductor, and showed the existence of stable propagating normal domains. They compared the velocity of normal domain propagation with the experimental data, obtaining a reasonable agreement. Dresner presented an analytical method to solve this problem if the time dependence of the Joule power is given. He performed explicit calculations of normal domain velocity assuming that the Joule power decays exponentially during the process of current redistribution. In this paper, the authors propose a system of two one-dimensional diffusion equations describing the dynamics of the temperature and the current density distributions along the conductor. Numerical simulations of the equations reconfirm the existence of propagating domains in the cryostable regime, while an analytical investigation supplies an explicit formula for the velocity of the normal domain

Three-dimensional Majorana fermions in chiral superconductors.

Science.gov (United States)

Kozii, Vladyslav; Venderbos, Jörn W F; Fu, Liang

2016-12-01

Using a systematic symmetry and topology analysis, we establish that three-dimensional chiral superconductors with strong spin-orbit coupling and odd-parity pairing generically host low-energy nodal quasiparticles that are spin-nondegenerate and realize Majorana fermions in three dimensions. By examining all types of chiral Cooper pairs with total angular momentum J formed by Bloch electrons with angular momentum j in crystals, we obtain a comprehensive classification of gapless Majorana quasiparticles in terms of energy-momentum relation and location on the Fermi surface. We show that the existence of bulk Majorana fermions in the vicinity of spin-selective point nodes is rooted in the nonunitary nature of chiral pairing in spin-orbit-coupled superconductors. We address experimental signatures of Majorana fermions and find that the nuclear magnetic resonance spin relaxation rate is significantly suppressed for nuclear spins polarized along the nodal direction as a consequence of the spin-selective Majorana nature of nodal quasiparticles. Furthermore, Majorana nodes in the bulk have nontrivial topology and imply the presence of Majorana bound states on the surface, which form arcs in momentum space. We conclude by proposing the heavy fermion superconductor PrOs 4 Sb 12 and related materials as promising candidates for nonunitary chiral superconductors hosting three-dimensional Majorana fermions.

Anomalous Josephson Effect between Even-and Odd-Frequency Superconductors

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Tanaka, Yukio; Golubov, Alexandre Avraamovitch; Kashiwaya, Satoshi; Ueda, Masahito

2007-01-01

We demonstrate that, contrary to standard wisdom, the lowest-order Josephson coupling is possible between odd- and even-frequency superconductors. The origin of this effect is the induced odd- (even-)frequency pairing component at the interface of bulk even- (odd-)frequency superconductors. The

Creation of point defects in superconductors. A short review

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Quere, Yves; Rullier-Albenque, Florence.

1981-11-01

Many experiments have been published concerning the radiation damage in superconductors, but relatively few about the mechanisms of defect creation. A short review is presented of what is known on point defect creation in superconductors either by cold-work or by irradiation

Aluminium stabilized Nb$-3$/Sn superconductors

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Thoener, M.; Krauth, H.; Rudolph, J.; Szulczyk, A.

1988-01-01

Composite superconductors made of reacted Nb 3 Sn stabilized with high purity Al were produced. Two methods were tested. The first involved soft soldering a Cu clad aluminum tape to the Nb 3 Sn conductor. In the second method the conductor, cable or monolith, was coextruded with the aluminum. Results obtained from using both methods indicated that mechanically reinforcing materials can be easily introduced into superconductors. Tests were conducted to determine magnetoresistance, electric contact resistance, yield strength, Young modulus, critical current, and other properties of the composites. Strengthening with Duratherm during coextrusion was also evaluated

Stress and strain effects on the properties of composite superconductors

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Welch, D.O.

1982-01-01

Practical superconductors for use in the production of high magnetic fields are generally in the form of composites of filaments of superconducting material embedded in a matrix of normally conducting material. Lorentz forces which arise during magnet operation are examples of sources of external stress, while internal stresses can arise during the fabrication of the composite superconductor, primarily due to differential thermal contraction between different materials in the composite. The properties of superconducting compounds are often sensitive functions of the elastic strain state in the compound; consequently there is a strong coupling between the mechanical and electrical properties of composite superconductors. The basic features of this phenomenon will be illustrated by a discussion of the properties of simple composite superconductors

A phenomenological approach to high Tc oxide superconductors

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Chela-Flores, J.; Das, M.P.; Saif, A.G.

1987-06-01

Oxide superconductors are described in terms of macroscopic wave functions Ψ and Φ corresponding, respectively, to electron pairs of the superconducting and insulating states. In terms of the total free energy of the system, including the effect of interaction, we discuss the electrodynamic responses of the oxide superconductors in relation with the experiments to data. (author). 10 refs

Magnetic excitations in iron chalcogenide superconductors.

Science.gov (United States)

Kotegawa, Hisashi; Fujita, Masaki

2012-10-01

Nuclear magnetic resonance and neutron scattering experiments in iron chalcogenide superconductors are reviewed to make a survey of the magnetic excitations in FeSe, FeSe 1- x Te x and alkali-metal-doped A x Fe 2- y Se 2 ( A = K, Rb, Cs, etc). In FeSe, the intimate relationship between the spin fluctuations and superconductivity can be seen universally for the variations in the off-stoichiometry, the Co-substitution and applied pressure. The isovalent compound FeTe has a magnetic ordering with different wave vector from that of other Fe-based magnetic materials. The transition temperature T c of FeSe increases with Te substitution in FeSe 1- x Te x with small x , and decreases in the vicinity of the end member FeTe. The spin fluctuations are drastically modified by the Te substitution. In the vicinity of the end member FeTe, the low-energy part of the spin fluctuation is dominated by the wave vector of the ordered phase of FeTe; however, the reduction of T c shows that it does not support superconductivity. The presence of same wave vector as that of other Fe-based superconductors in FeSe 1- x Te x and the observation of the resonance mode demonstrate that FeSe 1- x Te x belongs to the same group as most of other Fe-based superconductors in the entire range of x , where superconductivity is mediated by the spin fluctuations whose wave vector is the same as the nesting vector between the hole pockets and the electron pockets. On the other hand, the spin fluctuations differ for alkali-metal-doped A x Fe 2- y Se 2 and FeSe or other Fe-based superconductors in their wave vector and strength in the low-energy part, most likely because of the different Fermi surfaces. The resonance mode with different wave vector suggests that A x Fe 2- y Se 2 has an exceptional superconducting symmetry among Fe-based superconductors.

The effect of processing parameters during heat treatment of bulk high-T(sub c) superconductors

Science.gov (United States)

Cha, Y. S.; Dorris, S. E.; Hull, J. R.; Poeppel, R. B.

1991-04-01

Plastic extrusion is a promising method for producing the long lengths of high-Tc superconductor that will be necessary to meet many potential applications. A crucial phase of the extrusion method is removal of organic constituents. Incomplete removal can leave residual carbon at grain boundaries, which can adversely affect the superconducting properties, whereas excessively rapid removal of the organics can cause the extruded superconductor to disintegrate completely. In this paper, we analyze the effects of the following aspects of organics removal, as they apply to the firing of extruded YBa2Cu3O(x) coils: (1) total pressure in the furnace, (2) oxygen flow, (3) heat conduction, and (4) diffusion of volatile components during removal of organics.

Modeling the basic superconductor thermodynamical-statistical characteristics

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Palenskis, V.; Maknys, K.

1999-01-01

In accordance with the Landau second-order phase transition and other thermodynamical-statistical relations for superconductors, and using the energy gap as an order parameter in the electron free energy presentation, the fundamental characteristics of electrons, such as the free energy, the total energy, the energy gap, the entropy, and the heat capacity dependences on temperature were obtained. The obtained modeling results, in principle, well reflect the basic low- and high-temperature superconductor characteristics

Stability of magnetic tip/superconductor levitation systems

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Alqadi, M. K.

2015-01-01

The vertical stability of a magnetic tip over a superconducting material is investigated by using the critical state and the frozen image models. The analytical expressions of the stiffness and the vibration frequency about the equilibrium position are derived in term of the geometrical parameters of the magnet/superconductor system. It is found that the stability of the system depends on the shape of the superconductor as well as its thickness. (paper)

Theoretical studies of unconventional superconductors

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Groensleth, Martin Sigurd

2008-07-01

This thesis presents four research papers. In the first three papers we have derived analytical results for the transport properties in unconventional superconductors and ferromagnetic systems with multiple broken symmetries. In Paper I and parts of Paper II we have studied tunneling transport between two non-unitary ferromagnetic spin-triplet superconductors, and found a novel interplay between ferromagnetism and superconductivity manifested in the Josephson effect as a spin- and charge-current in the absence of an applied voltage across the junction. The critical amplitudes of these currents can be adjusted by the relative magnetization direction on each side of the junction. Furthermore, in Paper II, we have found a way of controlling a spin-current between two ferromagnets with spin-orbit coupling. Paper III considers a junction consisting of a ferromagnet and a non-unitary ferromagnetic superconductor, and we show that the conductance spectra contains detailed information about the superconducting gaps and pairing symmetry of the Cooper-pairs. In the last paper we present a Monte Carlo study of an effective Hamiltonian describing orbital currents in the CuO2 layers of high-temperature superconductive cuprates. The model features two intrinsically anisotropic Ising models, coupled through an anisotropic next-nearest neighbor interaction, and an Ashkin-Teller nearest neighbor fourth order coupling. We have studied the specific heat anomaly, as well as the anomaly in the staggered magnetization associated with the orbital currents and its susceptibility. We have found that in a limited parameter regime, the specific heat anomaly is substantially suppressed, while the susceptibility has a non-analytical peak across the order-disorder transition. The model is therefore a candidate for describing the breakup of hidden order when crossing the pseudo-gap line on the under-doped side in the phase diagram of high-temperature superconductors. (Author) 64 refs., figs

Voltage fluctuations in granular superconductors in the perpendicular configuration

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Gerashchenko, O V

2003-01-01

The spectral density of voltage fluctuations in granular YBa 2 Cu 3 O 7-δ superconductors in the perpendicular configuration has been studied in the flux flow mode. It has been found that, in this case, the 1/f-voltage noise observed depends weakly on temperature and is associated with motion of a magnetic flux in the superconductor. A comparison of the data obtained with the results of previous measurements in parallel configuration has shown that voltage noise is produced by a single common source, which is presumably associated with self-organization of the critical state in granular superconductors

Spontaneous Hall effect in a chiral p-wave superconductor

Science.gov (United States)

Furusaki, Akira; Matsumoto, Masashige; Sigrist, Manfred

2001-08-01

In a chiral superconductor with broken time-reversal symmetry a ``spontaneous Hall effect'' may be observed. We analyze this phenomenon by taking into account the surface properties of a chiral superconductor. We identify two main contributions to the spontaneous Hall effect. One contribution originates from the Bernoulli (or Lorentz) force due to spontaneous currents running along the surfaces of the superconductor. The other contribution has a topological origin and is related to the intrinsic angular momentum of Cooper pairs. The latter can be described in terms of a Chern-Simons-like term in the low-energy field theory of the superconductor and has some similarities with the quantum Hall effect. The spontaneous Hall effect in a chiral superconductor is, however, nonuniversal. Our analysis is based on three approaches to the problem: a self-consistent solution of the Bogoliubov-de Gennes equation, a generalized Ginzburg-Landau theory, and a hydrodynamic formulation. All three methods consistently lead to the same conclusion that the spontaneous Hall resistance of a two-dimensional superconducting Hall bar is of order h/(ekFλ)2, where kF is the Fermi wave vector and λ is the London penetration depth; the Hall resistance is substantially suppressed from a quantum unit of resistance. Experimental issues in measuring this effect are briefly discussed.

Interaction between fractional Josephson vortices in multi-gap superconductor tunnel junctions

Science.gov (United States)

Kim, Ju H.

In a long Josephson junction (LJJ) with two-band superconductors, fractionalization of Josephson vortices (fluxons) can occur in the broken time reversal symmetry state when spatial phase textures (i-solitons) are excited. Excitation of i-solitons in each superconductor layer of the junction, arising due to the presence of two condensates and the interband Josephson effect, leads to spatial variation of the critical current density between the superconductor layers. Similar to the situation in a YBa2 Cu3O7 - x superconductor film grain boundary, this spatial dependence of the crtitical current density can self-generate magnetic flux in the insulator layer, resulting in fractional fluxons with large and small fraction of flux quantum. Similar to fluxons in one-band superconductor LJJ, these fractional fluxons are found to interact with each other. The interaction between large and small fractional fluxons determines the size of a fluxon which includes two (one large and one small) fractional fluxons. We discuss the nature of interaction between fractional fluxons and suggest that i-soliton excitations in multi-gap superconductor LJJs may be probed by using magnetic flux measurements.

High Temperature Superconductor Resonator Detectors

Data.gov (United States)

National Aeronautics and Space Administration — High Temperature Superconductor (HTS) infrared detectors were studied for years but never matured sufficiently for infusion into instruments. Several recent...

Coherent diffusive transport mediated by Andreev reflections at V=Δ/e in a mesoscopic superconductor/semiconductor/superconductor junction

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Kutchinsky, J.; Taboryski, R.; Kuhn, O.; So/rensen, C.B.; Lindelof, P.E.; Kristensen, A.; Hansen, J.B.; Jacobsen, C.S.; Skov, J.L.

1997-01-01

We present experiments revealing a singularity in the coherent current across a superconductor/semiconductor/superconductor (SSmS) junction at the bias voltage corresponding to the superconducting energy gap V=Δ/e. The SSmS structure consists of highly doped GaAs with superconducting electrodes of aluminum configured as an interferometer. The phase-coherent component of the current is probed as the amplitude of h/2e vs magnetic-field oscillations in the differential resistance of the interferometer. copyright 1997 The American Physical Society

Percolation effect in thick film superconductors

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Sali, R.; Harsanyi, G. [Technical Univ. of Budapest (Hungary)

1994-12-31

A thick film superconductor paste has been developed to study the properties of granulated superconductor materials, to observe the percolation effect and to confirm the theory of the conducting mechanism in the superconducting thick films. This paste was also applied to make a superconducting planar transformer. Due to high T{sub c} and advantageous current density properties the base of the paste was chosen to be of Bi(Pb)SrCaCuO system. For contacts a conventional Ag/Pt paste was used. The critical temperature of the samples were between 110 K and 115 K depending on the printed layer thickness. The critical current density at the boiling temperature of the liquid He- was between 200-300 A/cm{sup 2}. The R(T) and V(I) functions were measured with different parameters. The results of the measurements have confirmed the theory of conducting mechanism in the material. The percolation structure model has been built and described. As an application, a superconducting planar thick film transformer was planned and produced. Ten windings of the transformer were printed on one side of the alumina substrate and one winding was printed on the other side. The coupling between the two sides was possible through the substrate. The samples did not need special drying and firing parameters. After the preparation, the properties of the transformer were measured. The efficiency and the losses were determined. Finally, some fundamental advantages and problems of the process were discussed.

Percolation effect in thick film superconductors

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Sali, R.; Harsanyi, G.

1994-01-01

A thick film superconductor paste has been developed to study the properties of granulated superconductor materials, to observe the percolation effect and to confirm the theory of the conducting mechanism in the superconducting thick films. This paste was also applied to make a superconducting planar transformer. Due to high T c and advantageous current density properties the base of the paste was chosen to be of Bi(Pb)SrCaCuO system. For contacts a conventional Ag/Pt paste was used. The critical temperature of the samples were between 110 K and 115 K depending on the printed layer thickness. The critical current density at the boiling temperature of the liquid He- was between 200-300 A/cm 2 . The R(T) and V(I) functions were measured with different parameters. The results of the measurements have confirmed the theory of conducting mechanism in the material. The percolation structure model has been built and described. As an application, a superconducting planar thick film transformer was planned and produced. Ten windings of the transformer were printed on one side of the alumina substrate and one winding was printed on the other side. The coupling between the two sides was possible through the substrate. The samples did not need special drying and firing parameters. After the preparation, the properties of the transformer were measured. The efficiency and the losses were determined. Finally, some fundamental advantages and problems of the process were discussed

The high temperature superconductor YBa2Cu3O7-δ: symmetry of the order parameter, and gradiometers for biomagnetic applications

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Kouznetsov, Konstantin A.

1999-01-01

The cuprate YBa 2 Cu 3 O 7-δ is the material that drives the majority of the technological applications of high transition temperature (Tc) superconductors, particularly in the area of superconducting electronics. Despite the widespread use of high-Tc superconducting materials in a variety of applications, the nature of the superconducting state in these materials remains unknown since their discovery more than a decade ago. Many properties of the high-Tc superconductors are determined by their order parameter, which is a wavefunction describing the superconducting condensate. The symmetry of the order parameter in cuprates has been the subject of intensive investigation, leading to conflicting sets of results. Some experiments supported conventional, s-wave symmetry of the order parameter, while others indicated an unconventional, d-wave symmetry. The first part of this thesis is an experimental study of the symmetry of the order parameter in YBa 2 Cu 3 O 7-δ . A new class of phase sensitive experiments is described that involve Josephson tunneling along the c-axis of twinned crystals of YBa 2 Cu 3 O 7-δ . These experiments showed that an s-wave component must reverse sign across the twin boundary, providing direct evidence for a mixed, s+d symmetry of the order parameter in YBa 2 Cu 3 O 7-δ , and thereby reconciling two conflicting sets of previous findings and establishing the dominant d-wave pairing symmetry. The second part of the thesis focuses on practical applications of YBa 2 Cu 3 O 7-δ in superconducting electronics. The authors introduce a novel Superconducting Quantum Interference Device (SQUID) gradiometer. The principle of operation of these long baseline high-T c SQUID gradiometers is based on the inductive coupling of the input coil of a planar flux transformer to the pickup up loop of a directly coupled magnetometer. The long baseline of the gradiometer, 48 mm, and the intrinsic. Balance of better than 1 part in 100 make it an ideal candidate

High-Tc ferroelectrics and superconductors

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Muller, K.A.

1990-01-01

The meaning of the title refers to transition temperatures T c in ferroelectrics (FE) and superconductors (S). The highest T c 's in either field are observed in oxides: 1770 K in the ferroelectric La 2 TiO 7 and 125 K in the superconductor Tl 2 Ca 2 Cu 3 O 10 . Therefore, the question can be asked whether the observed high T c 's in oxide FE and S are a pure coincidence or whether there may be an underlying reason for it. This question is addressed first by recalling recent advances concerning anharmonic FE-properties and then by reviewing S-findings in the new compounds related to these properties

Neutron Depolarization in Superconductors

Science.gov (United States)

Zhuchenko, N. K.

1995-04-01

The dependences of neutron depolarization on applied magnetic field are deduced along the magnetization hysteresis loop in terms of the Bean model of the critical state. The depolarization in uniaxial superconductors with the reversible magnetization, including uniaxial magnetic superconductors, is also considered. A strong depolarization is expected if the neutrons travel along the vortex lines. On calcule la dépendance en champ magnétique de la dépolarisation des neutrons le long du cycle d'hystérésis en termes du modèle critique de Bean. On considère aussi la dépolarisation dans les supraconducteurs uniaxiaux en fonction de l'aimantation réversible, y compris pour les supraconducteurs magnétiques. On attend une forte dépolarisation si les neutrons se propagent le long des vortex.

Development of a generic seed crystal for the fabrication of large grain (RE)-Ba-Cu-O bulk superconductors

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Shi, Y; Babu, N Hari; Cardwell, D A

2005-01-01

The critical current density, J c , irreversibility field, B irr , and magnetic field trapping ability of (LRE)-Ba-Cu-O bulk superconductors, where LRE is a light rare earth element such as Nd, Sm, Eu and Gd, are generally superior to those of the more common melt-processed Y-Ba-Cu-O (YBCO). The lack of availability of a suitable seed crystal to grow large, single grain (LRE)-Ba-Cu-O superconductors with controlled orientation, however, has hindered severely the development of these materials for engineering applications over the past ten years. In this communication we report for the first time the development of a generic seed crystal that can be used to fabricate any rare earth (RE) based (RE)-Ba-Cu-O ((RE)BCO) superconductor in the form of a large single grain with controlled orientation. The new seed crystal will potentially enable large grain (LRE)-Ba-Cu-O bulk superconductors to be fabricated routinely, as is the case for YBCO. This will enable the field trapping and current-carrying characteristics of these materials to be explored in more detail than has been possible to date. (rapid communication)

Microstructural factors influencing critical-current densities of high-temperature superconductors

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Suenaga, M.

1992-01-01

Microstructural defects are the primary determining factors for the values of critical current densities in superconductors. A review is made to assess, (1) what would be the maximum achievable critical-current density in the oxide superconductors if nearly ideal pinning sites were introduced? and (2) what types of pinning defects are currently introduced in these superconductors and how effective are these in pinning the vortices? Only the case where the applied field is parallel to the c-axis is considered here

Focusing and guiding intense electron beams by a superconductor tube

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Roth, P.

1996-01-01

An intense electron beam travelling axially through the opening of a superconductor tube was studied. Model calculations showed that the beam is focused by the superconductor tube when the space-charge effect of the beam electrons is compensated. The tube functions as a lens for electrons injected parallel to the tube axis and also for electrons having a small initial radial velocity component. The electron trajectories were computed, and the focal length of the superconductor tube was estimated. (author). 2 figs., 6 refs

Focusing and guiding intense electron beams by a superconductor tube

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Roth, P

1997-12-31

An intense electron beam travelling axially through the opening of a superconductor tube was studied. Model calculations showed that the beam is focused by the superconductor tube when the space-charge effect of the beam electrons is compensated. The tube functions as a lens for electrons injected parallel to the tube axis and also for electrons having a small initial radial velocity component. The electron trajectories were computed, and the focal length of the superconductor tube was estimated. (author). 2 figs., 6 refs.

Quantitative analysis of mineral powders by DRIFTS: Determination of SrCO3 in superconductor precursor powders

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Bak, J.; Kindl, B.

1997-01-01

An application of diffuse reflectance infrared Fourier transform spectroscopy (DRIFTS) has been demonstrated to be able to determine small concentrations, down to the 100-ppm level, of carbonates in powdery superconductor (SPC) precursor samples, The detection of carbonates in SPC precursor powders...

Exploring FeSe-based superconductors by liquid ammonia method

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Ying Tian-Ping; Wang Gang; Jin Shi-Feng; Shen Shi-Jie; Zhang Han; Zhou Ting-Ting; Lai Xiao-Fang; Wang Wan-Yan; Chen Xiao-Long

2013-01-01

Our recent progress on the preparation of a series of new FeSe-based superconductors and the clarification of SC phases in potassium-intercalated iron selenides are reviewed here. By the liquid ammonia method, metals Li, Na, Ca, Sr, Ba, Eu, and Yb are intercalated in between FeSe layers and form superconductors with transition temperatures of 30 K∼46 K, which cannot be obtained by high-temperature routes. In the potassium-intercalated iron selenides, we demonstrate that at least two SC phases exist, K x Fe 2 Se 2 (NH 3 ) y (x ≈ 0.3 and 0.6), determined mainly by the concentration of potassium. NH 3 has little, if any, effect on superconductivity, but plays an important role in stabilizing the structures. All these results provide a new starting point for studying the intrinsic properties of this family of superconductors, especially for their particular electronic structures. (topical review - iron-based high temperature superconductors)

World-record current in the MgB2 superconductor

CERN Multimedia

Antonella Del Rosso

2014-01-01

In the framework of the High-Luminosity LHC project, experts from the CERN Superconductors team recently obtained a world-record current of 20 kA at 24 K in an electrical transmission line consisting of two 20-metre long cables made of Magnesium Diboride (MgB2) superconductor. This result makes the use of such technology a viable solution for long-distance power transportation.   The 20-metre long electrical transmission line containing the two 20 kA MgB2 cables. “The test is an important step in the development of cold electrical power transmission systems based on the use of MgB2,” says Amalia Ballarino, head of the Superconductors and Superconducting Devices section in the Magnet, Superconductors and Cryostat group of the Technology Department, and initiator of this project. “The cables and associated technologies were designed, developed and tested at CERN. The superconducting wire is the result of a long R&D effort that started ...

Theoretical modeling of critical temperature increase in metamaterial superconductors

Science.gov (United States)

Smolyaninov, Igor; Smolyaninova, Vera

Recent experiments have demonstrated that the metamaterial approach is capable of drastic increase of the critical temperature Tc of epsilon near zero (ENZ) metamaterial superconductors. For example, tripling of the critical temperature has been observed in Al-Al2O3 ENZ core-shell metamaterials. Here, we perform theoretical modelling of Tc increase in metamaterial superconductors based on the Maxwell-Garnett approximation of their dielectric response function. Good agreement is demonstrated between theoretical modelling and experimental results in both aluminum and tin-based metamaterials. Taking advantage of the demonstrated success of this model, the critical temperature of hypothetic niobium, MgB2 and H2S-based metamaterial superconductors is evaluated. The MgB2-based metamaterial superconductors are projected to reach the liquid nitrogen temperature range. In the case of an H2S-based metamaterial Tc appears to reach 250 K. This work was supported in part by NSF Grant DMR-1104676 and the School of Emerging Technologies at Towson University.

Ceramic high temperature superconductor levitating motor with laser commutator

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Roslan Abd Shukor; Lee Keng Heong

1996-01-01

The design of a magnetically levitating motor using a ceramic high temperature superconductor with laser commutator is discussed. A YBa sub 2 Cu sub 3 O sub 7-δ high temperature superconductor with 25 mm diameter and 6 mm thickness is used to levitate a Nd-Fe-B magnet (19.0 mm diameter and 4.8 mm thickness) which is attached symmetrically to a 150 mm long graphite rod. A smaller magnet (5.5 mm diameter and 2.0 mm thickness) is attached at each end of the rod with the appropriate poles arrangements. A suitable laser beam chopper is used to optically drive a solenoid which repels the smaller magnets thus driving the motor. A simple and efficient liquid nitrogen supply system is designed to cool the superconductor. The stability of the bearing is provided by the flux pinning in this type-II superconductor. Some characteristics of the motor are discussed

Proceedings of the tenth annual symposium on computer applications in medical care

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Orthner, H.F.

1988-01-01

This book covers the proceedings of the tenth annual symposium on Computer Applications in Medical Care. The papers include: Image processing in cardiovascular radiology and radiologic automated diagnosis (RAD)

Contact spectroscopy of high-temperature superconductors. Review

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Yanson, I.K.

1991-01-01

We have attempted to systematize the research of high temperature superconductors by means of tunneling and point-contact spectroscopy. The theoretical grounds of the methods are briefly described. The deviations of current-voltage characteristics from ordinary superconductors are considered. The properties of point contacts with direct energy gap measurfements and the fine structure of derivatives of i(v) curves at the overlap energies are reviewed for the high-T c La 2-x Sr x CuO 4 materials

Correction of magnetization sextupole in one-meter long dipole magnets using passing superconductor

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Green, M.A.; Althaus, R.F.; Barale, P.J.; Benjegerdes, R.W.; Gilbert, W.S.; Green, M.I.; Scanlan, R.M.

1990-03-01

The generation of higher multipoles due to the magnetization of the superconductor in the dipoles of the SSC is a problem during injection of the beam into the machine. The use of passive superconductor was proposed some years ago to correct the magnetization sextupole in the dipole magnet. This paper presents the LBL test results in which the magnetization sextupole was greatly reduced in two one-meter long dipole magnets by the use of passive superconductor mounted on the magnet bore tube. The magnetization sextupole was reduced a factor of five on one magnet and a factor of eight on the other magnet using this technique. Magnetization decapole was also reduced by the passive superconductor. The passive superconductor method of correction also reduced the temperature dependence of the magnetization multipoles. In addition, the drift in the magnetization sextupole due to flux creep was also reduced. Passive superconductor correction appears to be a promising method of correcting out the effects of superconductor magnetization in SSC dipoles and quadrupoles. 10 refs., 6 figs

Charge transport through superconductor/Anderson-insulator interfaces

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Frydman, A.; Ovadyahu, Z.

1997-01-01

We report on a study of charge transport through superconductor-insulator-superconductor and normal metal endash insulator endash superconductor structures (SIS and NIS junctions, respectively) where the insulator is of the Anderson type. Devices which are characterized by a junction resistance larger than 10 kΩ show behavior which is typical of Giaever tunnel junctions. In structures having smaller resistance, several peculiar features are observed. In the SIS junctions, Josephson coupling is detected over distances much larger then the typical insulator localization length. In addition, a series of resistance peaks appears at voltages of 2Δ/n, where Δ is the superconducting gap. The NIS Junctions exhibit a large resistance dip at subgap bias. We discuss possible interpretations of these findings and suggest that they may result from the presence of high transmission channels through the barrier region. copyright 1997 The American Physical Society

Isotope and multiband effects in layered superconductors.

Science.gov (United States)

Bussmann-Holder, Annette; Keller, Hugo

2012-06-13

In this review we consider three classes of superconductors, namely cuprate superconductors, MgB(2) and the new Fe based superconductors. All of these three systems are layered materials and multiband compounds. Their pairing mechanisms are under discussion with the exception of MgB(2), which is widely accepted to be a 'conventional' electron-phonon interaction mediated superconductor, but extending the Bardeen-Cooper-Schrieffer (BCS) theory to account for multiband effects. Cuprates and Fe based superconductors have higher superconducting transition temperatures and more complex structures. Superconductivity is doping dependent in these material classes unlike in MgB(2) which, as a pure compound, has the highest values of T(c) and a rapid suppression of superconductivity with doping takes place. In all three material classes isotope effects have been observed, including exotic ones in the cuprates, and controversial ones in the Fe based materials. Before the area of high-temperature superconductivity, isotope effects on T(c) were the signature for phonon mediated superconductivity-even when deviations from the BCS value to smaller values were observed. Since the discovery of high T(c) materials this is no longer evident since competing mechanisms might exist and other mediating pairing interactions are discussed which are of purely electronic origin. In this work we will compare the three different material classes and especially discuss the experimentally observed isotope effects of all three systems and present a rather general analysis of them. Furthermore, we will concentrate on multiband signatures which are not generally accepted in cuprates even though they are manifest in various experiments, the evidence for those in MgB(2), and indications for them in the Fe based compounds. Mostly we will consider experimental data, but when possible also discuss theoretical models which are suited to explain the data.

Weak links in high critical temperature superconductors

Science.gov (United States)

Tafuri, Francesco; Kirtley, John R.

2005-11-01

The traditional distinction between tunnel and highly transmissive barriers does not currently hold for high critical temperature superconducting Josephson junctions, both because of complicated materials issues and the intrinsic properties of high temperature superconductors (HTS). An intermediate regime, typical of both artificial superconductor-barrier-superconductor structures and of grain boundaries, spans several orders of magnitude in the critical current density and specific resistivity. The physics taking place at HTS surfaces and interfaces is rich, primarily because of phenomena associated with d-wave order parameter (OP) symmetry. These phenomena include Andreev bound states, the presence of the second harmonic in the critical current versus phase relation, a doubly degenerate state, time reversal symmetry breaking and the possible presence of an imaginary component of the OP. All these effects are regulated by a series of transport mechanisms, whose rules of interplay and relative activation are unknown. Some transport mechanisms probably have common roots, which are not completely clear and possibly related to the intrinsic nature of high-TC superconductivity. The d-wave OP symmetry gives unique properties to HTS weak links, which do not have any analogy with systems based on other superconductors. Even if the HTS structures are not optimal, compared with low critical temperature superconductor Josephson junctions, the state of the art allows the realization of weak links with unexpectedly high quality quantum properties, which open interesting perspectives for the future. The observation of macroscopic quantum tunnelling and the qubit proposals represent significant achievements in this direction. In this review we attempt to encompass all the above aspects, attached to a solid experimental basis of junction concepts and basic properties, along with a flexible phenomenological background, which collects ideas on the Josephson effect in the presence

Weak links in high critical temperature superconductors

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Tafuri, Francesco; Kirtley, John R

2005-01-01

The traditional distinction between tunnel and highly transmissive barriers does not currently hold for high critical temperature superconducting Josephson junctions, both because of complicated materials issues and the intrinsic properties of high temperature superconductors (HTS). An intermediate regime, typical of both artificial superconductor-barrier-superconductor structures and of grain boundaries, spans several orders of magnitude in the critical current density and specific resistivity. The physics taking place at HTS surfaces and interfaces is rich, primarily because of phenomena associated with d-wave order parameter (OP) symmetry. These phenomena include Andreev bound states, the presence of the second harmonic in the critical current versus phase relation, a doubly degenerate state, time reversal symmetry breaking and the possible presence of an imaginary component of the OP. All these effects are regulated by a series of transport mechanisms, whose rules of interplay and relative activation are unknown. Some transport mechanisms probably have common roots, which are not completely clear and possibly related to the intrinsic nature of high-T C superconductivity. The d-wave OP symmetry gives unique properties to HTS weak links, which do not have any analogy with systems based on other superconductors. Even if the HTS structures are not optimal, compared with low critical temperature superconductor Josephson junctions, the state of the art allows the realization of weak links with unexpectedly high quality quantum properties, which open interesting perspectives for the future. The observation of macroscopic quantum tunnelling and the qubit proposals represent significant achievements in this direction. In this review we attempt to encompass all the above aspects, attached to a solid experimental basis of junction concepts and basic properties, along with a flexible phenomenological background, which collects ideas on the Josephson effect in the presence

On the Josephson effect between superconductors in singlet and triplet spin-pairing states

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Pals, J.A.; Haeringen, W. van

1977-01-01

An expression is derived for the Josephson current between two weakly coupled superconductors of which one or both have pairs in a spin-triplet state. It is shown that there can be no Josephson effect up to second order in the transition matrix elements between a superconductor with spin-triplet pairs and one with spin-singlet pairs if the coupling between the two superconductors can be described with a spin-conserving tunnel hamiltonian. This is shown to offer a possibility to investigate experimentally whether a particular superconductor has spin-triplet pairs by coupling it weakly to a well-known spin-singlet pairing superconductor. (Auth.)

American superconductor technology to help CERN to explore the mysteries of matter company's high temperature superconductor wire to be used in CERN's Large Hadron Collider

CERN Multimedia

2003-01-01

American Superconductor Corporation has been selected by CERN, to provide 14,000 meters of high temperature superconductor (HTS) wire for current lead devices that will be used in CERN's Large Hadron Collider (1 page).

Ceramic high-temperature superconductors

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Marquart, R.

1989-01-01

The contribution presents an overview treatment of the structure of the new superconductors (YBa 2 Cu 3 O 7-x ). Methods of powder production and processing technology are described, with current development projects by Dornier being taken into consideration. (orig.) [de

Irradiation damage in superconductors

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Quere, Y.

1989-01-01

Most superconductors are quite sensitive to irradiation defects. Critical temperatures may be depressed, critical currents may be increased, by irradiation, but other behaviours may be encountered. In compounds, the sublattice in which defects are created is of significant importance. 24 refs

Nickel W14 substrates for high-temperature superconductors

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Kolb-Telieps, Angelika; Gehrmann, Bodo

2008-01-01

High-temperature superconductivity is on the threshold of market launch. Starting from the results of a research project, ThyssenKrupp VDM has successfully developed an industrial-scale production process for nickel W14, which is used as substrate strip in superconductors destined for applications such as generators for wind turbines. The deoxidation of the melt presented a particular challenge. On the one hand, this is required in order to avoid fractures during the hot forming, on the other, the usual deoxidation elements have negative effects on the nanoscale texture and surface roughness needed for the substrate strip. (orig.)

Fluctuaciones térmicas en la conductividad de superconductores de alta temperatura en presencia de campos magnéticos

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Jairo Roa Rojas

2001-01-01

Full Text Available One very interesting characteristic of the type II superconductor materials is observed in the neighborhood of the transition between normal and superconductor states, which is related with the occurrence of new transport channels of superparticles still in the normal phase. This phenomenon is known as thermodynamic fluctuations and is conformed by some types of observable effects in the high temperature oxides. These are experimentally accessible by measurements of equilibrium and transport properties. Although it is relatively easy t o obtain information of the experimental evidence of this phenomenon, the understanding of the physical mechanisms involved is not frequently explicit in the literature. The aim of this article is to present the origin, the consequences and any experimental evidences of the effects of thermal fluctuations in the electric conductivity, on the magnetic fields application, in high critical temperature superconductors.

Workshop on accelerator magnet superconductors. Proceedings

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

2004-01-01

The workshop on accelerator magnet superconductors has gathered 102 registered participants from research laboratories, universities and industry. 8 European companies, active in superconducting materials and cables were present. This workshop has been organized to deal with the status of the world research and development on superconducting materials and cables for high field magnets (B > 10 T). The workshop has also reviewed the status of high temperature superconductors and transmission line cables for potential use in low field superconducting magnets for injectors and beam transfer lines, as well as cables for pulsed magnets that might be used in future hadron colliders or injectors

Workshop on accelerator magnet superconductors. Proceedings

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

NONE

2004-07-01

The workshop on accelerator magnet superconductors has gathered 102 registered participants from research laboratories, universities and industry. 8 European companies, active in superconducting materials and cables were present. This workshop has been organized to deal with the status of the world research and development on superconducting materials and cables for high field magnets (B > 10 T). The workshop has also reviewed the status of high temperature superconductors and transmission line cables for potential use in low field superconducting magnets for injectors and beam transfer lines, as well as cables for pulsed magnets that might be used in future hadron colliders or injectors.

FY 1998 result report. Study of a total system for the development of superconductor power application technology (Feasibility study of commercialization of superconductivity technology and study of the introductory effect. Future superconductivity technology development in Japan); 1998 nendo seika hokokusho. Chodendo denryoku oyo gijutsu kaihatsu total system nado no kenkyu chodendo gijutsu no jitsuyoka kanosei oyobi donyu kokanado no chosa (Nippon ni okeru chodendo gijutsu kaihatsu no kongo no hokosei)

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

NONE

1996-03-01

As a part of the New Sunshine Project, 'an R and D project on superconductor power application technology,' an examinational study was made as a mini project to clarify the developmental course for commercialization of superconductor technology. The superconductor technology is being watched with interest as a technology in the 21st century. In the application to the electric power/energy field, in particular, expected are the energy saving effect by high operation efficiency, excellent environmentality, developmental potentiality of new equipment/system by the application of ferromagnetism, etc. Accordingly, the paper analytically arranged the needs of superconductor devices in Japan and abroad and the technology seeds corresponding to the needs, and prepared the developmental subjects of superconductor technology. These developmental steps and the mutual relationship were expressed in an R and D framework. At the same time, as to the superconductivity, a survey outlined the projects carried out in each government office in Japan. The future developmental course was indicated, and proposals were made on the equipment/system as object which are the subjects for urgent development for commercialization. (NEDO)

FY 1998 result report. Study of a total system for the development of superconductor power application technology (Feasibility study of commercialization of superconductivity technology and study of the introductory effect. Future superconductivity technology development in Japan); 1998 nendo seika hokokusho. Chodendo denryoku oyo gijutsu kaihatsu total system nado no kenkyu chodendo gijutsu no jitsuyoka kanosei oyobi donyu kokanado no chosa (Nippon ni okeru chodendo gijutsu kaihatsu no kongo no hokosei)

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

NONE

1996-03-01

As a part of the New Sunshine Project, 'an R and D project on superconductor power application technology,' an examinational study was made as a mini project to clarify the developmental course for commercialization of superconductor technology. The superconductor technology is being watched with interest as a technology in the 21st century. In the application to the electric power/energy field, in particular, expected are the energy saving effect by high operation efficiency, excellent environmentality, developmental potentiality of new equipment/system by the application of ferromagnetism, etc. Accordingly, the paper analytically arranged the needs of superconductor devices in Japan and abroad and the technology seeds corresponding to the needs, and prepared the developmental subjects of superconductor technology. These developmental steps and the mutual relationship were expressed in an R and D framework. At the same time, as to the superconductivity, a survey outlined the projects carried out in each government office in Japan. The future developmental course was indicated, and proposals were made on the equipment/system as object which are the subjects for urgent development for commercialization. (NEDO)

Improvements in or relating to superconductors

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

McDougal, I.L.

1976-01-01

A method of manufacturing a superconductor consisting of an intermetallic superconductive compound is described. It includes providing an assembly of at least one component of the intermetallic superconductive compound in indirect contact with a material that is not superconductive at 4.2 0 K, then diffusing the remaining component or components through the non-superconductive material to form the intermetallic compound, diffusion of the non-superconductive material being blocked. The non-superconductive material may be a stabilising material and may consist of Cu, Ag, Ni-Cu alloy, Mg, or Fe, and the blocking diffusion barrier may be Ta, Nb, Zr, or Hf. The assembly may be in the form of wire, tape, tube, or other extended configuration. Examples of application of the method are described. (U.K.)

Three-terminal devices of high-Tc superconductors: A status report and future challenges

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Kung, Pang-Jen; Carnegie-Mellon Univ., Pittsburgh, PA

1992-01-01

A study has been conducted on the recent progress of the three-terminal devices with transistor-like characteristics fabricated from the high-T c superconducting materials. This study explored the operating principles and characteristics of these devices in relation to the relevant materials and techniques. A comparison of a variety of techniques for superconducting thin film deposition will be given. This study indirates that the feasibility of fabricating hybrid devices composed of semiconductors and superconductors appear to be the key issue to push forward the applications of high-T c superconductors in microelectronics. The junction field-effect transistors with a semiconductor base controlled by the proximity effect are likely to be more manufacturable. The factors that influence the operating reliability of devices and the problems arising from integrating and packaging the devices will also be discussed

Iron chalcogenide superconductors at high magnetic fields

Science.gov (United States)

Lei, Hechang; Wang, Kefeng; Hu, Rongwei; Ryu, Hyejin; Abeykoon, Milinda; Bozin, Emil S; Petrovic, Cedomir

2012-01-01

Iron chalcogenide superconductors have become one of the most investigated superconducting materials in recent years due to high upper critical fields, competing interactions and complex electronic and magnetic phase diagrams. The structural complexity, defects and atomic site occupancies significantly affect the normal and superconducting states in these compounds. In this work we review the vortex behavior, critical current density and high magnetic field pair-breaking mechanism in iron chalcogenide superconductors. We also point to relevant structural features and normal-state properties. PMID:27877518

Surface impedance of superconductors in wide frequency ranges for wake field calculations

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Davidovskii, V.G.

2006-01-01

The problem of the surface impedance of superconductors in wide frequency ranges for calculations of wake fields, generated by bunches of charged particles moving axially inside a metallic vacuum chambers, is solved. The case of specular electron reflection at the superconductor surface is considered. The expression for the surface impedance of superconductors suitable for numerical computation is derived [ru

Investigation of thin films, heterostructures and devices of ceramic superconductors by means of high-resolution electron microscopy

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Jia Chunlin.

1993-08-01

In this thesis a systematic study of the microstructure of YBa 2 Cu 3 O 7 thin films is presented by means of high-resolution electron microscopy (HREM). Most of the efforts are focused on the characterization of heterostructures of superconducting YBa 2 Cu 3 O 7 and non-superconducting PrBa 2 Cu 3 O 7 and on YBa 2 Cu 3 O 7 films deposited on step-edge substrates. These specially designed structures exhibit a great potential for the electronic application of high-Tc superconductors and for the investigation of the basic electric properties of the YBa 2 Cu 3 O 7 superconductor. (orig.) [de

PREFACE: Special section featuring selected papers from the 3rd International Workshop on Numerical Modelling of High Temperature Superconductors Special section featuring selected papers from the 3rd International Workshop on Numerical Modelling of High Temperature Superconductors

Science.gov (United States)

Granados, Xavier; Sánchez, Àlvar; López-López, Josep

2012-10-01

The development of superconducting applications and superconducting engineering requires the support of consistent tools which can provide models for obtaining a good understanding of the behaviour of the systems and predict novel features. These models aim to compute the behaviour of the superconducting systems, design superconducting devices and systems, and understand and test the behavior of the superconducting parts. 50 years ago, in 1962, Charles Bean provided the superconducting community with a model efficient enough to allow the computation of the response of a superconductor to external magnetic fields and currents flowing through in an understandable way: the so called critical-state model. Since then, in addition to the pioneering critical-state approach, other tools have been devised for designing operative superconducting systems, allowing integration of the superconducting design in nearly standard electromagnetic computer-aided design systems by modelling the superconducting parts with consideration of time-dependent processes. In April 2012, Barcelona hosted the 3rd International Workshop on Numerical Modelling of High Temperature Superconductors (HTS), the third in a series of workshops started in Lausanne in 2010 and followed by Cambridge in 2011. The workshop reflected the state-of-the-art and the new initiatives of HTS modelling, considering mathematical, physical and technological aspects within a wide and interdisciplinary scope. Superconductor Science and Technology is now publishing a selection of papers from the workshop which have been selected for their high quality. The selection comprises seven papers covering mathematical, physical and technological topics which contribute to an improvement in the development of procedures, understanding of phenomena and development of applications. We hope that they provide a perspective on the relevance and growth that the modelling of HTS superconductors has achieved in the past 25 years.

Open questions in the magnetic behaviour of high-temperature superconductors

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Cohen, L.F.; Jensen, Henrik Jeldtoft

1997-01-01

A principally experimental review of vortex behaviour in high-temperature superconductors is presented. The reader is first introduced to the basic concepts needed to understand the magnetic properties of type II superconductors. The concepts of vortex melting, the vortex glass, vortex creep, etc are also discussed briefly. The bulk part of the review relates the theoretical predictions proposed for the vortex system in high temperature superconductors to experimental findings. The review ends with an attempt to direct the reader to those areas which still require further clarification. (author)

Vortices and nanostructured superconductors

CERN Document Server

2017-01-01

This book provides expert coverage of modern and novel aspects of the study of vortex matter, dynamics, and pinning in nanostructured and multi-component superconductors. Vortex matter in superconducting materials is a field of enormous beauty and intellectual challenge, which began with the theoretical prediction of vortices by A. Abrikosov (Nobel Laureate). Vortices, vortex dynamics, and pinning are key features in many of today’s human endeavors: from the huge superconducting accelerating magnets and detectors at the Large Hadron Collider at CERN, which opened new windows of knowledge on the universe, to the tiny superconducting transceivers using Rapid Single Flux Quanta, which have opened a revolutionary means of communication. In recent years, two new features have added to the intrinsic beauty and complexity of the subject: nanostructured/nanoengineered superconductors, and the discovery of a range of new materials showing multi-component (multi-gap) superconductivity. In this book, leading researche...

Comparison of simulation and experiment on levitation force between GdBCO bulk superconductor and superconducting magnet

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Araki, S., E-mail: satoshi@sum.sd.keio.ac.j [Department of System Design Engineering, Faculty of Science and Technology, Keio University, 3-14-1 Hiyoshi, Kohoku-ku, Yokohama 223-8522 (Japan); Nagashima, K.; Seino, H. [Railway Technical Research Institute, 2-8-38 Hikari-cho, Kokubunji, Tokyo 185-8540 (Japan); Murakami, T.; Sawa, K. [Department of System Design Engineering, Faculty of Science and Technology, Keio University, 3-14-1 Hiyoshi, Kohoku-ku, Yokohama 223-8522 (Japan)

2009-10-15

High temperature bulk superconductors have significant potential for various engineering applications such as a flywheel energy storage system. This system is expected to decrease the energy loss by using bulk superconductors for the bearing. Recently, the authors have developed a new superconducting magnet to realize large levitation force. In this system, the axial component of magnetic field is canceled each other but the radial component of magnetic field expects to be enhanced. Thus, it was expected that the large levitation force can be realized and its time relaxation will be decreased. And in the previous paper, the levitation force and its time relaxation were measured under the various conditions by using this new magnet. But it is difficult to consider what phenomenon has happened in the bulk from only experimental results. In addition the quantitative evaluation cannot be done only by the experimental results, for example, the influence of the magnetic field penetration and magnetic distribution around a bulk superconductor on the maximum force and so on. Thus, in this paper, the authors simulated the levitation force of bulk superconductor by using ELF/MAGIC, which is a three-dimensional electromagnetic analytical software. In the simulation the bulk was considered as a rigid body and the simulation was executed under the same conditions and model with the experiment. The distribution of magnetic field and the levitation force were obtained and discussed.

Comparison of simulation and experiment on levitation force between GdBCO bulk superconductor and superconducting magnet

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Araki, S.; Nagashima, K.; Seino, H.; Murakami, T.; Sawa, K.

2009-01-01

High temperature bulk superconductors have significant potential for various engineering applications such as a flywheel energy storage system. This system is expected to decrease the energy loss by using bulk superconductors for the bearing. Recently, the authors have developed a new superconducting magnet to realize large levitation force. In this system, the axial component of magnetic field is canceled each other but the radial component of magnetic field expects to be enhanced. Thus, it was expected that the large levitation force can be realized and its time relaxation will be decreased. And in the previous paper, the levitation force and its time relaxation were measured under the various conditions by using this new magnet. But it is difficult to consider what phenomenon has happened in the bulk from only experimental results. In addition the quantitative evaluation cannot be done only by the experimental results, for example, the influence of the magnetic field penetration and magnetic distribution around a bulk superconductor on the maximum force and so on. Thus, in this paper, the authors simulated the levitation force of bulk superconductor by using ELF/MAGIC, which is a three-dimensional electromagnetic analytical software. In the simulation the bulk was considered as a rigid body and the simulation was executed under the same conditions and model with the experiment. The distribution of magnetic field and the levitation force were obtained and discussed.

Energy dissipation of composite multifilamentary superconductors for high-current ramp-field magnet applications

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Gung, C.Y.

1993-01-01

Energy dissipation, which is also called AC loss, of a composite multifilamentary superconducting wire is one of the most fundamental concerns in building a stable superconducting magnet. Characterization and reduction of AC losses are especially important in designing a superconducting magnet for generating transient magnetic fields. The goal of this thesis is to improve the understanding of AC-loss properties of superconducting wires developed for high-current ramp-field magnet applications. The major tasks include: (1) building an advanced AC-loss measurement system, (2) measuring AC losses of superconducting wires under simulated pulse magnet operations, (3) developing an analytical model for explaining the new AC-loss properties found in the experiment, and (4) developing a computational methodology for comparing AC losses of a superconducting wire with those of a cable for a superconducting pulse magnet. A new experimental system using an isothermal calorimetric method was designed and constructed to measure the absolute AC losses in a composite superconductor. This unique experimental setup is capable of measuring AC losses of a brittle Nb 3 Sn wire carrying high AC current in-phase with a large-amplitude pulse magnetic field. Improvements of the accuracy and the efficiency of this method are discussed. Three different types of composite wire have been measured: a Nb 3 Sn modified jelly-roll (MJR) internal-tin wire used in a prototype ohmic heating coil, a Nb 3 Sn internal-tin wire developed for a fusion reactor ohmic heating coil, and a NbTi wire developed for the magnets in a particle accelerator. The cross sectional constructions of these wires represent typical commercial wires manufactured for pulse magnet applications

Effect of spontaneous decay of superconductor quasiparticles in the tunneling density of states

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Coffey, D.

1993-01-01

Superconductivity has been successfully described with either the Landau-Ginzburg theory of second order phase transitions or with strong-coupling versions of the original BCS theory for almost fifty years. Recent tunneling and photoemission data on the cuprate oxide superconductors may now provide evidence of corrections to the mean field approximation. It has been shown by Zasadzinski et al. that there is a dip at eV ≅ 3Δ 0 in the SIS tunneling conductance, which is the derivative of the current across a superconductor-insulator-superconductor junction with respect to the applied voltage, for a set of cuprate superconductors whose T c 's range from 5.5K to 100K. Recently L. Coffey and I proposed an explanation of this feature in terms of the spontaneous decay of mean field quasiparticles. We showed that corrections to the mean field approximation for a superconductor lead to different frequency thresholds for spontaneous quasiparticle decay with different superconductor order parameter symmetries. These effects lead to features in the superconductor density of states and in the SIS tunneling conductance and provide experimental evidence of d-wave symmetry for the superconductor order parameter in the cuprates. I discuss model and also evidence of quasiparticle decay in ARPES data on Bi 2 Sr 2 CaCu 2 O 8

Yu-Shiba-Rusinov states in phase-biased superconductor-quantum dot-superconductor junctions

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Kirsanskas, Gediminas; Goldstein, Moshe; Flensberg, Karsten

2015-01-01

supercurrent, and the differential conductance as measured by a normal-metal tunnel probe. In absence of a phase difference only one linear combination of the superconductor lead electrons couples to the spin, which gives a single YSR state. With finite phase difference, however, it is effectively a two...

Electrochemical investigations of high-Tc superconductors - low-temperature electrochemistry

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Lorenz, W.J.

1992-01-01

This research report presents a summary of results obtained by electrochemical investigations of high-Tc superconductors at room temperature and below the critical temperature (Tc). The studies were to reveal the behaviour of the ceramic superconducting materials at the interface between superconductor and ionic conductor. (MM) With 4 tabs., 8 figs [de

Kinetic equations in dirty superconductors

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Kraehenbuehl, Y.

1981-01-01

Kinetic equations for superconductors in the dirty limit are derived using a method developed for superfluid systems, which allows a systematic expansion in small parameters; exact charge conservation is obeyed. (orig.)

Feasibility of introducing ferromagnetic materials to onboard bulk high-T{sub c} superconductors to enhance the performance of present maglev systems

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Deng, Zigang, E-mail: zgdeng@gmail.com [Applied Superconductivity Laboratory (ASCLab), Southwest Jiaotong University (SWJTU), Chengdu, Sichuan 610031 (China); State Key Laboratory of Traction Power (TPL), Southwest Jiaotong University (SWJTU), Chengdu, Sichuan 610031 (China); Wang, Jiasu [Applied Superconductivity Laboratory (ASCLab), Southwest Jiaotong University (SWJTU), Chengdu, Sichuan 610031 (China); Zheng, Jun; Zhang, Ya [Applied Superconductivity Laboratory (ASCLab), Southwest Jiaotong University (SWJTU), Chengdu, Sichuan 610031 (China); State Key Laboratory of Traction Power (TPL), Southwest Jiaotong University (SWJTU), Chengdu, Sichuan 610031 (China); Wang, Suyu [Applied Superconductivity Laboratory (ASCLab), Southwest Jiaotong University (SWJTU), Chengdu, Sichuan 610031 (China)

2013-02-14

Highlights: ► Ferromagnetic materials guide the flux distribution of the PMG to bulk positions. ► With ferromagnetic materials, guidance performance can be enhanced greatly. ► A new HTS Maglev system with onboard ferromagnetic materials is designed. ► The design can meet large guidance force requirements for practical applications. -- Abstract: Performance improvement is a long-term research task for the promotion of practical application of promising high-temperature superconducting (HTS) magnetic levitation (maglev) vehicle technologies. We studied the feasibility to enhance the performance of present HTS Maglev systems by introducing ferromagnetic materials to onboard bulk superconductors. The principle here is to make use of the high magnetic permeability of ferromagnetic materials to alter the flux distribution of the permanent magnet guideway for the enhancement of magnetic field density at the position of the bulk superconductors. Ferromagnetic iron plates were added to the upper surface of bulk superconductors and their geometric and positioning effects on the maglev performance were investigated experimentally. Results show that the guidance performance (stability) was enhanced greatly for a particular setup when compared to the present maglev system which is helpful in the application where large guidance forces are needed such as maglev tracks with high degrees of curves.

Characterisation of nano-grains in MgB2 superconductors by transmission Kikuchi diffraction

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Wong, D.C.K.; Yeoh, W.K.; Trimby, P.W.; De Silva, K.S.B.; Bao, P.; Li, W.X.; Xu, X.; Dou, S.X.; Ringer, S.P.; Zheng, R.K.

2015-01-01

We report the first application of the emerging transmission Kikuchi diffraction technique in the scanning electron microscope to investigate nano-grain structures in polycrystalline MgB 2 superconductors. Two sintering conditions were considered, and the resulting differences in superconducting properties are correlated to differences in grain structure. A brief comparison to X-ray diffraction results is presented and discussed. This work focusses more on the application of this technique to reveal grain structure, rather than on the detailed differences between the two sintering temperatures

Quantum Monte Carlo simulations for high-Tc superconductors

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Muramatsu, A.; Dopf, G.; Wagner, J.; Dieterich, P.; Hanke, W.

1992-01-01

Quantum Monte Carlo simulations for a multi-band model of high-Tc superconductors are reviewed with special emphasis on the comparison of different observabels with experiments. It is shown that a give parameter set of the three-band Hubbard model leads to a consistent description of normal-state propteries as well as pairing correlation function for the copper-oxide superconductors as a function of doping and temperature. (orig.)

Magnetic irreversibility in granular superconductors: ac susceptibility study

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Perez, F.; Obradors, X.; Fontcuberta, J.; Vallet, M.; Gonzalez-Calbet, J.

1991-01-01

Ac susceptibility measurements of a ceramic weak-coupled superconductor in very low ac fields (2mG, 111Hz) are reported. We present evidence for the observation of the magnetic irreversibility following a ZFC-FC thermal cycling by means of ac susceptibilty measurements. It is shown that this technique also reflect local magnetic field effects in granular superconductors, as previously suggested in microwave surface resistance and I-V characteristics. (orig.)

Exotic magnetic states in Pauli-limited superconductors.

Science.gov (United States)

Kenzelmann, M

2017-03-01

Magnetism and superconductivity compete or interact in complex and intricate ways. Here we review the special case where novel magnetic phenomena appear due to superconductivity, but do not exist without it. Such states have recently been identified in unconventional superconductors. They are different from the mere coexistence of magnetic order and superconductivity in conventional superconductors, or from competing magnetic and superconducting phases in many materials. We describe the recent progress in the study of such exotic magnetic phases, and articulate the many open questions in this field.

Critical de Broglie wavelength in superconductors

Science.gov (United States)

Talantsev, E. F.

2018-03-01

There are growing numbers of experimental evidences that the self-field critical currents, Jc(sf,T), are a new instructive tool to investigate fundamental properties of superconductors ranging from atomically thin films [M. Liao et al., Nat. Phys. 6 (2018), https://doi.org/10.1038/s41567-017-0031-6; E. F. Talantsev et al., 2D Mater. 4 (2017) 025072; A. Fete et al., Appl. Phys. Lett. 109 (2016) 192601] to millimeter-scale samples [E. F. Talantsev et al., Sci. Rep. 7 (2017) 10010]. The basic empirical equation which quantitatively accurately described experimental Jc(sf,T) was proposed by Talantsev and Tallon [Nat. Commun. 6 (2015) 7820] and it was the relevant critical field (i.e. thermodynamic field, Bc, for type-I and lower critical field, Bc1, for type-II superconductors) divided by the London penetration depth, λL. In this paper, we report new findings relating to this empirical equation. It is that the critical wavelength of the de Broglie wave, λdB,c, of the superconducting charge carrier which within a numerical pre-factor is equal to the largest of two characteristic lengths of Ginzburg-Landau theory, i.e. the coherence length, ξ, for type-I superconductors or the London penetration depth, λL, for type-II superconductors. We also formulate a microscopic criterion for the onset of dissipative transport current flow: ps ṡ 2ṡλL ln(1+2ṡ(λL ξ )) ≥ 1 2 ṡ ( h 2π), where ps is the charge carrier momentum, h is Planck’s constant and the inequality sign “ <” is reserved for the dissipation-free flow.

Some thermodynamical properties of normal (or ferromagnetic) metal / superconductor heterojunctions

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Cayssol, Jerome

2003-01-01

We have investigated the orbital magnetism of a ballistic hybrid normal-superconductor ring. We have obtained the flux dependent excitation spectrum for arbitrary normal and superconductor lengths. We have introduced a new method to evaluate the current harmonics. We have described the cross-over from the, 'h/eh/e-periodic persistent current to the', h/2e-periodic Josephson current. In a second study, we have calculated the effect of intrinsic ordinary reflexion on the Josephson current in a ballistic superconductor-ferromagnetic-superconductor. The spectrum is strongly modified by gap openings but the current and the 0-π transition are only slightly modified up to very high spin polarisation. In a third study, we analyse the contain of some solutions of Usadel equation. The standard perturbation theory dressed by cooperons enables us to interpret those solutions in terms of diffusive paths connecting Andreev reflexion events. (author) [fr

The design of high-Tc superconductors - Room-temperature superconductivity?

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Tallon, J.L.; Storey, J.G.; Mallett, B.

2012-01-01

This year is the centennial of the discovery of superconductivity and the 25th anniversary of the discovery of high-T c superconductors (HTS). Though we still do not fully understand how HTS work, the basic rules of design can be determined from studying their systematics. We know what to do to increase T c and, more importantly, what to do to increase critical current density J c . This in turn lays down a challenge for the chemist. Can the ideal design be synthesized? More importantly, what are the limits? Can one make a room-temperature superconductor? In fact fluctuations place strict constraints on this objective and provide important guidelines for the design of the ideal superconductor.

Experimental study of flux pinning in NbN films and multilayers: Ultimate limits on critical currents in superconductors

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Gray, K.E.; Kampwirth, R.T.; Capone, D.W. II; Murduck, J.M.

1988-08-01

A flux pinning model is presented which predicts the maximum critical current density attainable in superconductors. That such a limit must exist comes from the realization that flux pinning is strongest in regions of weak superconductivity, but these regions cannot carry a large supercurrent. Since the same regions within the superconductor cannot be used for both pinning and supercurrent conductions, there must be an optimum mix, leading to a maximum J/sub c/. Measurements on films and multilayers of NbN have verified many details of the model including anisotropy effects and a strong reduction in J/sub c/ for defect spacings smaller than the flux core diameter. In an optimized multilayer the pinning force reached /approximately/22% of the theoretical maximum. The implications of these results on the practical applications of NbN films and on the maximum critical current density in the new high temperature superconductors are also discussed. 24 refs., 4 figs

Computer modelling of high-temperature superconductors using an A-V formulation

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Ruiz-Alonso, D; Coombs, T; Campbell, A M [Cambridge University Engineering Department, Trumpington Street, Cambridge, CB2 1PZ (United Kingdom)

2004-05-01

Numerical methods for calculating the current and field distribution in high-temperature superconductors under non-uniform time-varying fields are being investigated. The highly non-linear behaviour of superconductors makes them difficult to analyse and computationally expensive. This non-linear behaviour is often accounted for through a non-linear E-J constitutive law. This paper proposes a fast method based on the finite element method to solve 2D and axially symmetric problems that contain superconducting materials. An E-J power law together with an A-V formulation is used to calculate the induction of currents in the superconductor due to time-varying external magnetic fields or forced transport current. Experimental data of a magnet-above-superconductor system is obtained in order to validate the model. In the experimental set-up a magnet is brought towards a superconducting puck at different speed rates and is also vibrated on top of it. The force between the magnet and the superconductor is measured and is found to vary with both time and frequency of excitation.

Computer modelling of high-temperature superconductors using an A-V formulation

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Ruiz-Alonso, D; Coombs, T; Campbell, A M

2004-01-01

Numerical methods for calculating the current and field distribution in high-temperature superconductors under non-uniform time-varying fields are being investigated. The highly non-linear behaviour of superconductors makes them difficult to analyse and computationally expensive. This non-linear behaviour is often accounted for through a non-linear E-J constitutive law. This paper proposes a fast method based on the finite element method to solve 2D and axially symmetric problems that contain superconducting materials. An E-J power law together with an A-V formulation is used to calculate the induction of currents in the superconductor due to time-varying external magnetic fields or forced transport current. Experimental data of a magnet-above-superconductor system is obtained in order to validate the model. In the experimental set-up a magnet is brought towards a superconducting puck at different speed rates and is also vibrated on top of it. The force between the magnet and the superconductor is measured and is found to vary with both time and frequency of excitation

Development of (Nb,Ta3Sn multifilamentary superconductor wire for high current applications

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Durval Rodrigues Jr.

2000-10-01

Full Text Available The optimization of the energy generated by a MagnetoHydroDynamic (MHD channel using a superconducting magnet demands the optimization of the magnetic field of the system and of the critical points on the magnet winding. This work must include the development of a high performance superconductor wire suitable for this system. Aiming to the construction of improved performance MHD channel, it was developed a low cost superconductor wire, with the required characteristics. The wire was made using a technology compatible with the assembling steps and heat treatment conditions of the MHD superconducting magnets fabrication. It was used the internal Sn method in Nb-7.5wt%Ta tube to fabricate a 271-filament wire with a diameter of 0.81 mm and a Cu/nonCu ratio of 2.3. The wire was heat treated at 200 °C to diffuse the Sn into the Cu shell, producing bronze, followed by the final reaction at temperatures ranging from 670 °C to 730 °C during 25 to 150 h, to produce (Nb,Ta3Sn. The superconducting wire characterization was made measuring the critical current Ic versus the applied magnetic field in the range of 5 to 20 T, the critical temperature Tc and the residual resistivity ratio (RRR. The wire transported critical currents above those available in commercial superconducting wires. These values of Ic are higher than the expected values for the optimization of the MHD channel.

Vortex-antivortex patterns in mesoscopic superconductors

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Teniers, Gerd; Moshchalkov, V.V.; Chibotaru, L.F.; Ceulemans, Arnout

2003-01-01

We have studied the nucleation of superconductivity in mesoscopic structures of different shape (triangle, square and rectangle). This was made possible by using an analytical gauge transformation for the vector potential A which gives A n =0 for the normal component along the boundary line of the rectangle. As a consequence the superconductor-vacuum boundary condition reduces to the Neumann boundary condition. By solving the linearized Ginzburg-Landau equation with this boundary condition we have determined the field-temperature superconducting phase boundary and the corresponding vortex patterns. The comparison of these patterns for different structures demonstrates that the critical parameters of a superconductor can be manipulated and fine-tuned through nanostructuring

'Beautiful' unconventional synthesis and processing technologies of superconductors and some other materials

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Petre Badica, Adrian Crisan, Gheorghe Aldica, Kazuhiro Endo, Hanna Borodianska, Kazumasa Togano, Satoshi Awaji, Kazuo Watanabe, Yoshio Sakka and Oleg Vasylkiv

2011-01-01

Full Text Available Superconducting materials have contributed significantly to the development of modern materials science and engineering. Specific technological solutions for their synthesis and processing helped in understanding the principles and approaches to the design, fabrication and application of many other materials. In this review, we explore the bidirectional relationship between the general and particular synthesis concepts. The analysis is mostly based on our studies where some unconventional technologies were applied to different superconductors and some other materials. These technologies include spray-frozen freeze-drying, fast pyrolysis, field-assisted sintering (or spark plasma sintering, nanoblasting, processing in high magnetic fields, methods of control of supersaturation and migration during film growth, and mechanical treatments of composite wires. The analysis provides future research directions and some key elements to define the concept of 'beautiful' technology in materials science. It also reconfirms the key position and importance of superconductors in the development of new materials and unconventional synthesis approaches.

Unconventional superconductivity in heavy fermionic and high-Tc superconductors

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Volovik, G.E.

1989-01-01

Splitting of the superconducting transition and glass spectrum in heavy fermion companies and oxide superconductors are discussed. The multicomponent order parameter leads to splitting of transition due to magnetic field, impurities, orthorhombic distortion, etc... Linear specific heat in oxide superconductors may be explained in terms of the Fermi-surface arising in superconducting state if interband is pairing strong enough

Localized superconductors

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Ma, M.; Lee, P.A.

1985-01-01

We study the effects of Anderson localization on superconductivity by using a Bardeen-Cooper-Schrieffer (BCS)-type trial wave function which pairs electrons in exact time-reversed eigenstates of the single-particle Hamiltonian. Within this approximation, and neglecting localization effects on the effective Coulomb repulsion and the electron-phonon coupling, we find that superconductivity persists below the mobility edge. In fact, Anderson's theorem is valid in the localized phase as long as rhoΔ 0 L/sup d/ > 1 (rho is the density of states averaged over +- Δ 0 of the Fermi energy, Δ 0 the BCS gap parameter, and L the localization length). Hence the gap order parameter Δ(r) remains uniform in space at the BCS value Δ 0 . The superfluid density and response to electromagnetic perturbations, however, show marked differences from the ''dirty superconductor'' regime. For rhoΔ 0 L/sup d/ < 1, Δ(r) fluctuates spatially and eventually drops to zero. In the limit when states are site localized, the system crosses over into the ''Anderson negative-U glass.'' Considerations beyond the trial wave-function approximation will speed up the destruction of superconductivity. The superconductor formed from localized states has the property that its quasiparticle excitations are also localized. Such excitations can be probed by observing the normal current in a tunneling junction

Boundary conditions in Ginsburg Landau theory and critical temperature of high-T superconductors

Science.gov (United States)

Lykov, A. N.

2008-06-01

New mixed boundary conditions to the Ginsburg-Landau equations are found to limit the critical temperature ( T) of high- T superconductors. Moreover, the value of the pseudogap in these superconductors can be explained by using the method. As a result, the macroscopic approach is proposed to increase T of cuprate superconductors.

Meissner effect in diffusive normal metal/d-wave superconductor junctions

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Yokoyama, Takehito; Tanaka, Yukio; Golubov, Alexandre Avraamovitch; Inoue, Jun-ichiro; Asano, Yasuhiro

2005-01-01

The Meissner effect in diffusive normal metal/insulator/d-wave superconductor junctions is studied theoretically in the framework of the Usadel equation under the generalized boundary condition. The effect of midgap Andreev resonant states (MARS) formed at the interface of d-wave superconductor is

Magnetic flux distributions in chiral helimagnet/superconductor bilayers

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Kato, Masaru, E-mail: kato@ms.osakafu-u.ac.jp [Department of Mathematical Sciences, Osaka Prefecture University, 1-1, Gakuencho, Nakaku, Sakai, Osaka 599-8531 (Japan); Fukui, Saoto [Department of Mathematical Sciences, Osaka Prefecture University, 1-1, Gakuencho, Nakaku, Sakai, Osaka 599-8531 (Japan); Sato, Osamu [Osaka Prefecture University College of Technology, 26-12, Saiwaicho, Neyagawa, Osaka 572-8572 (Japan); Togawa, Yoshihiko [Department of Physics and Electronics, Osaka Prefecture University, 1-1, Gakuencho, Nakaku, Sakai, Osaka 599-8531 (Japan)

2017-02-15

Highlights: • Vortex states in a chiral helimagnet/superconductor bilayer are investigated. • Vortex and anti-vortex appears depending on strength of helimagnet. • Vortex is elongated under a gradient field. • Vortices form a undulated triangular lattice. - Abstarct: Vortex states in a chiral helimagnet/superconductor bilayer are investigated numerically, using the Ginzburg–Landau equations with the finite element method. In this bilayer, effect of the chiral helimagnet on the superconductor is taken as an external field. Magnetic field distribution can be controlled by an applied field to the bilayer. It is shown that a single vortex in a gradient field is elongated along the field gradient. In zero applied field, there are up- and down vortices which are parallel or antiparallel to the z-axis, respectively. But increasing the applied field, down-vortices disappear and up-vortices form undulated triangular lattices.

Workshop on Accelerator Magnet Superconductors, Design and Optimization

CERN Document Server

WAMSDO Workshop

2009-01-01

This report contains the proceedings of the CARE-HHH-AMT Workshop on Accelerator Magnet Superconductors, Design and Optimization (WAMSDO) held at CERN from 19 to 23 May 2008. The needs in terms of superconducting magnets for the accelerator projects were discussed, mainly for the LHC interaction regions and injector upgrades, and for the GSI FAIR complex. The first part of the workshop focused on the development of superconductor and cables, i.e., low-loss Nb-Ti cables, Nb$_{3}$Sn and high-temperature superconductors. An industry session summarized the actual plans and status of the activities in the main European industries. Then, a worldwide status of the high field magnets programme was presented. A special session was devoted to fast cycled magnets, including FAIR facilities and LHC injector upgrades. A final session focused on the optimization methods and numerical tools for magnet design.

THz detectors using surface Josephson plasma waves in layered superconductors

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Savel'ev, Sergey; Yampol'skii, Valery; Nori, Franco

2006-01-01

We describe a proposal for THz detectors based on the excitation of surface waves, in layered superconductors, at frequencies lower than the Josephson plasma frequency ω J . These waves propagate along the vacuum-superconductor interface and are attenuated in both transverse directions out of the surface (i.e., towards the superconductor and towards the vacuum). The surface Josephson plasma waves are also important for the complete suppression of the specular reflection from a sample (Wood's anomalies, used for gratings) and produce a huge enhancement of the wave absorption, which can be used for the detection of THz waves

Flux Pinning in Superconductors

CERN Document Server

Matsushita, Teruo

2007-01-01

The book covers the flux pinning mechanisms and properties and the electromagnetic phenomena caused by the flux pinning common for metallic, high-Tc and MgB2 superconductors. The condensation energy interaction known for normal precipitates or grain boundaries and the kinetic energy interaction proposed for artificial Nb pins in Nb-Ti, etc., are introduced for the pinning mechanism. Summation theories to derive the critical current density are discussed in detail. Irreversible magnetization and AC loss caused by the flux pinning are also discussed. The loss originally stems from the ohmic dissipation of normal electrons in the normal core driven by the electric field induced by the flux motion. The readers will learn why the resultant loss is of hysteresis type in spite of such mechanism. The influence of the flux pinning on the vortex phase diagram in high Tc superconductors is discussed, and the dependencies of the irreversibility field are also described on other quantities such as anisotropy of supercondu...

Proximity effects and Josephson currents in ferromagnet. Spin-triplet superconductors junctions

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Terrade, Damien

2015-01-01

Spin-triplet superconductivity, first attached to the description of 3 He, is now generally considered to also occur in heavy-fermions compounds and in perovskite ruthenium oxide Sr 2 RuO 4 . The latter material is especially interesting since many experiments show strong evidences for a unitary chiral spin-triplet state. Moreover, the recent fabrication of thin heterostructures made of ferromagnetic SrRuO 3 on the top of Sr 2 RuO 4 strongly encourages new theoretical studies on the interplay between spin-triplet superconductor and ferromagnet in similar fashion to spin-singlet superconductors. Using an extended tight-binding Hamiltonian to model the superconductor, we discuss in this thesis the specific proximity effects of such interface by solving self-consistently the Bogoliubov-De Gennes equations on two- and three-dimensional lattices in the ballistic limit. We obtain the spatial profile of the superconducting order parameters at the interface as well as the spin-polarisation and the current across the Josephson junctions. In contrast to heterostructures made of spin-singlet superconductor, we show that the physical properties at the interface are not only controlled by the strength of the magnetization inside the ferromagnet but also by its orientation due to the existence of a finite pair spin projection of the spin-triplet Cooper pairs. We analyse in the first part the spin-polarisation and the Gibbs free energy at the three-dimensional ferromagnet-chiral spin-triplet superconductor interface. Then, the second part of the thesis is dedicated to the study of the Josephson junctions made of a chiral spin-triplet superconductor and a ferromagnetic barrier. More precisely, we analyse the existence of 0-π state transitions in two- and three-dimensional junctions with respect to the strength and the orientation of the magnetization. Finally, we study the proximity effects at the interface of helical spin-triplet superconductors. They differ from the chiral

A simple model to estimate the optimal doping of p - Type oxide superconductors

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Adir Moysés Luiz

2008-12-01

Full Text Available Oxygen doping of superconductors is discussed. Doping high-Tc superconductors with oxygen seems to be more efficient than other doping procedures. Using the assumption of double valence fluctuations, we present a simple model to estimate the optimal doping of p-type oxide superconductors. The experimental values of oxygen content for optimal doping of the most important p-type oxide superconductors can be accounted for adequately using this simple model. We expect that our simple model will encourage further experimental and theoretical researches in superconducting materials.

London limit for lattice model of superconductor

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Ktitorov, S.A.

2004-01-01

The phenomenological approach to the strong-bond superconductor, which is based on the Ginzburg-Landau equation in the London limit, is considered. The effect of the crystalline lattice discreteness on the superconductors electromagnetic properties is studied. The classic problems on the critical current and magnetic field penetration are studied within the frames of the lattice model for thin superconducting films. The dependence of the superconducting current on the thin film order parameter is obtained. The critical current dependence on the degree of deviation from the continual approximation is calculated [ru

The critical current of superconductors: an historical review

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Dew-Hughes, D.

2001-01-01

The most important practical characteristic of a superconductor is its critical current density. This article traces the history, both of the experimental discoveries and of the development of the theoretical ideas that have lead to the understanding of those factors that control critical current densities. These include Silsbee's hypothesis, the Meissner effect, London, Ginsburg-Landau and Abrikosov theories, flux pinning and the critical state, and the control of texture in high temperature superconductors

Characteristic features of the exotic superconductors: A summary

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Brandow, B.

1997-09-01

The authors summarize the results of a comprehensive examination of the characteristic features of the exotic superconductors, the superconductors so-labelled by Uemura and co-workers. In both the electronic and the crystal-chemistry properties, they find anomalous features which appear to be universal for these materials, as well as other features which are clearly not universal but common enough to be considered typical for these materials. Some implications of these anomalies are discussed

Quasi-particle spectrum of nano-scale conventional and unconventional superconductors under magnetic field

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Kato, Masaru; Suematsu, Hisataka; Machida, Masahiko; Koyama, Tomio; Ishida, Takekazu

2005-01-01

We have developed a numerical method to solve the Bogoliubov-de Gennes equation for nano-scaled isotropic and d-wave superconductors. It is based on the finite element method, and therefore applicable to arbitrary geometries. We argue the difference of the local density of states between isotropic and a d-wave superconducting square plate. For d-wave case, it appears as intrinsic surface bound states

To Crack or Not to Crack: Strain in High Temperature Superconductors

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Godeke, Arno

2007-01-01

Round wire Bi 2212 is emerging as a viable successor of Nb3Sn in High Energy Physics and Nuclear Magnetic Resonance, to generate magnetic fields that surpass the intrinsic limitations of Nb3Sn. Rather bold claims are made on achievable magnetic fields in applications using Bi 2212, due to the materials' estimated critical magnetic field of 100 Tor higher. High transport currents in high magnetic fields, however, lead to large stress on, and resulting large strain in the superconductor. The effect of strain on the critical properties of Bi-2212 is far from understood, and strain is, as with Nb3Sn, often treated as a secondary parameter in the design of superconducting magnets. Reversibility of the strain induced change of the critical surface of Nb3Sn, points to an electronic origin of the observed strain dependence. Record breaking high field magnets are enabled by virtue of such reversible behavior. Strain effects on the critical surface of Bi-2212, in contrast, are mainly irreversible and suggest a non-electronic origin of the observed strain dependence, which appears to be dominated by the formation of cracks in the superconductor volumes. A review is presented of available results on the effects of strain on the critical surface of Bi-2212, Bi-2223 and YBCO. It is shown how a generic behavior emerges for the (axial) strain dependence of the critical current density, and how the irreversible reduction of the critical current density is dominated by strain induced crack formation in the superconductor. From this generic model it becomes clear that magnets using high temperature superconductors will be strain limited far before the intrinsic magnetic field limitations will be approached, or possibly even before the magnetic field limitation of Nb3Sn can be surpassed. On a positive note, in a very promising recent result from NIST on the axial strain dependence of the critical current density in extremely well aligned YBCO, reversible behavior was observed. This

Superconductor fluxoid logic

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Andronov, A.A.; Kurin, V.V.; Levichev, M.Yu.; Ryndyk, D.A.; Vostokov, V.I.

1993-01-01

In recent years there has been much interest in superconductor logical devices. Our paper is devoted to the analysis of some new possibilities in this field. The main problems here are: minimization of time of logical operations and reducing of device scale. Josephson systems are quite appropriate for this purpose because of small size, short characteristic time and also small energy losses. Two different types of Josephson logic have been investigated during last years. The first type is based on hysteretic V-A characteristic of a single Josephson junction. Superconducting and resistive (with nonzero voltage) states are considered as logical zero and logical unit. The second one - rapid single flux quantum logic, has been developed recently and is based on SQUID-like bistability. Different logical states are the states with different number of magnetic flux quanta inside closed superconducting contour. Information is represented by voltage pulses with fixed ''area'' (∫ V(t)/dt). This pulses are generated when logical state of SQUID-like elementary cell changes. The fundamental role of magnetic flux quantization in this type of logic leads to the necessity of large enough self-inductance of superconductor contour and thus to limitations on minimal device dimensions. (orig.)

Superconductivity: materials and applications

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Duchateau, J.L.; Kircher, F.; Leveque, J.; Tixador, P.

2008-01-01

This digest paper presents the different types of superconducting materials: 1 - the low-TC superconductors: the multi-filament composite as elementary constituent, the world production of NbTi, the superconducting cables of the LHC collider and of the ITER tokamak; 2 - the high-TC superconductors: BiSrCaCuO (PIT 1G) ribbons and wires, deposited coatings; 3 - application to particle physics: the the LHC collider of the CERN, the LHC detectors; 4 - applications to thermonuclear fusion: Tore Supra and ITER tokamaks; 5 - NMR imaging: properties of superconducting magnets; 6 - applications in electrotechnics: cables, motors and alternators, current limiters, transformers, superconducting energy storage systems (SMES). (J.S.)

Modelling and comparison of trapped fields in (RE)BCO bulk superconductors for activation using pulsed field magnetization

Science.gov (United States)

Ainslie, M. D.; Fujishiro, H.; Ujiie, T.; Zou, J.; Dennis, A. R.; Shi, Y.-H.; Cardwell, D. A.

2014-06-01

The ability to generate a permanent, stable magnetic field unsupported by an electromotive force is fundamental to a variety of engineering applications. Bulk high temperature superconducting (HTS) materials can trap magnetic fields of magnitude over ten times higher than the maximum field produced by conventional magnets, which is limited practically to rather less than 2 T. In this paper, two large c-axis oriented, single-grain YBCO and GdBCO bulk superconductors are magnetized by the pulsed field magnetization (PFM) technique at temperatures of 40 and 65 K and the characteristics of the resulting trapped field profile are investigated with a view of magnetizing such samples as trapped field magnets (TFMs) in situ inside a trapped flux-type superconducting electric machine. A comparison is made between the temperatures at which the pulsed magnetic field is applied and the results have strong implications for the optimum operating temperature for TFMs in trapped flux-type superconducting electric machines. The effects of inhomogeneities, which occur during the growth process of single-grain bulk superconductors, on the trapped field and maximum temperature rise in the sample are modelled numerically using a 3D finite-element model based on the H-formulation and implemented in Comsol Multiphysics 4.3a. The results agree qualitatively with the observed experimental results, in that inhomogeneities act to distort the trapped field profile and reduce the magnitude of the trapped field due to localized heating within the sample and preferential movement and pinning of flux lines around the growth section regions (GSRs) and growth sector boundaries (GSBs), respectively. The modelling framework will allow further investigation of various inhomogeneities that arise during the processing of (RE)BCO bulk superconductors, including inhomogeneous Jc distributions and the presence of current-limiting grain boundaries and cracks, and it can be used to assist optimization of

Low-Temperature Synthesis Routes to Intermetallic Superconductors

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Schaak, Raymond E

2008-01-08

Over the past few years, our group has gained expertise at developing low-temperature solution-based synthetic pathways to complex nanoscale solids, with particular emphasis on nanocrystalline intermetallic compounds. Our synthetic capabilities are providing tools to reproducibly generate intermetallic nanostructures with simultaneous control over crystal structure, composition, and morphology. This DOE-funded project aims to expand these capabilities to intermetallic superconductors. This could represent an important addition to the tools that are available for the synthesis and processing of intermetallic superconductors, which traditionally utilize high-temperature, high-pressure, thin film, or gas-phase vacuum deposition methods. Our current knowledge of intermetallic superconductors suggests that significant enhancements could result from the inherent benefits of low-temperature solution synthesis, e.g. metastable phase formation, control over nanoscale morphology to facilitate size-dependent property studies, robust and inexpensive processability, low-temperature annealing and consolidation, and impurity incorporation (for doping, stoichiometry control, flux pinning, and improving the critical fields). Our focus is on understanding the superconducting properties as a function of synthetic route, crystal structure, crystallite size, and morphology, and developing the synthetic tools necessary to accomplish this. This research program can currently be divided into two classes of superconducting materials: intermetallics (transition metal/post transition metal) and metal carbides/borides. Both involve the development and exploitation of low-temperature synthesis routes followed by detailed characterization of structures and properties, with the goal of understanding how the synthetic pathways influence key superconducting properties of selected target materials. Because of the low-temperature methods used to synthesize them and the nanocrystalline morphologies

Numerical analysis of thermally actuated magnets for magnetization of superconductors

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Li Quan; Yan Yu; Rawlings, Colin; Coombs, Tim, E-mail: ql229@cam.ac.u [EPEC Superconductivity Group, Engineering Department, University of Cambridge, Trumpington Street. Cambridge, CB2 1PZ (United Kingdom)

2010-06-01

Superconductors, such as YBCO bulks, have extremely high potential magnetic flux densities, comparing to rare earth magnets. Therefore, the magnetization of superconductors has attracted broad attention and contribution from both academic research and industry. In this paper, a novel technique is proposed to magnetize superconductors. Unusually, instead of using high magnetic fields and pulses, repeatedly magnetic waves with strength of as low as rare earth magnets are applied. These magnetic waves, generated by thermally controlling a Gadolinium (Gd) bulk with a rare earth magnet underneath, travel over the flat surface of a YBCO bulk and get trapped little by little. Thus, a very small magnetic field can be used to build up a very large magnetic field. In this paper, the modelling results of thermally actuated magnetic waves are presented showing how to transfer sequentially applied thermal pulses into magnetic waves. The experiment results of the magnetization of YBCO bulk are also presented to demonstrate how superconductors are progressively magnetized by small magnetic field

Numerical analysis of thermally actuated magnets for magnetization of superconductors

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Li Quan; Yan Yu; Rawlings, Colin; Coombs, Tim

2010-01-01

Superconductors, such as YBCO bulks, have extremely high potential magnetic flux densities, comparing to rare earth magnets. Therefore, the magnetization of superconductors has attracted broad attention and contribution from both academic research and industry. In this paper, a novel technique is proposed to magnetize superconductors. Unusually, instead of using high magnetic fields and pulses, repeatedly magnetic waves with strength of as low as rare earth magnets are applied. These magnetic waves, generated by thermally controlling a Gadolinium (Gd) bulk with a rare earth magnet underneath, travel over the flat surface of a YBCO bulk and get trapped little by little. Thus, a very small magnetic field can be used to build up a very large magnetic field. In this paper, the modelling results of thermally actuated magnetic waves are presented showing how to transfer sequentially applied thermal pulses into magnetic waves. The experiment results of the magnetization of YBCO bulk are also presented to demonstrate how superconductors are progressively magnetized by small magnetic field

Josephson junction between two high Tc superconductors with arbitrary transparency of interface

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

GhR Rashedi

2010-03-01

Full Text Available In this paper, a dc Josephson junction between two singlet superconductors (d-wave and s-wave with arbitrary reflection coefficient has been investigated theoretically. For the case of high Tc superconductors, the c-axes are parallel to an interface with finite transparency and their ab-planes have a mis-orientation. The physics of potential barrier will be demonstrated by a transparency coefficient via which the tunneling will occur. We have solved the nonlocal Eilenberger equations and obtained the corresponding and suitable Green functions analytically. Then, using the obtained Green functions, the current-phase diagrams have been calculated. The effect of the potential barrier and mis-orientation on the currents is studied analytically and numerically. It is observed that, the current phase relations are totally different from the case of ideal transparent Josephson junctions between d-wave superconductors and two s-wave superconductors. This apparatus can be used to demonstrate d-wave order parameter in high Tc superconductors.

Static Test for a Gravitational Force Coupled to Type 2 YBCO Superconductors

Science.gov (United States)

Li, Ning; Noever, David; Robertson, Tony; Koczor, Ron; Brantley, Whitt

1997-01-01

As a Bose condensate, superconductors provide novel conditions for revisiting previously proposed couplings between electromagnetism and gravity. Strong variations in Cooper pair density, large conductivity and low magnetic permeability define superconductive and degenerate condensates without the traditional density limits imposed by the Fermi energy (approx. 10(exp -6) g cc. Recent experiments have reported anomalous weight loss for a test mass suspended above a rotating type II, YBCO superconductor, with the percentage change (0.05 - 2.1 %) independent of the test mass' chemical composition and diamagnetic properties. A variation of 5 parts per 10' was reported above a stationary (non-rotating) superconductor. In experiments using a sensitive gravimeter, bulk YBCO superconductors were stably levitated in a DC magnetic field. Changes in acceleration were measured to be less than 2 parts in 108 of the normal gravitational acceleration. This result puts new limits on the strength and range of the proposed coupling between static superconductors and gravity.

Thermal mechanisms responsible for the irreversible degradation of superconductivity in commercial superconductors

Science.gov (United States)

Romanovskii, V. R.

2017-08-01

Conditions for the irreversible propagation of thermal instabilities in commercial superconductors subjected to intense and soft cooling have been formulated. An analysis has been conducted using two types of the superconductor's I-V characteristics, i.e., an ideal I-V characteristic, which assumes a step superconducting-to-normal transition, and a continuous I-V characteristic, which is described by a power law. The propagation rate of thermal instabilities along the superconducting composite has been determined. Calculations have been made for both subcritical and supercritical values of the current. It has been shown that they propagate along a commercial superconductor in the form of a switching wave. In rapidly cooled commercial superconductors, the steady-state rate of thermal instability propagation in the longitudinal direction can only be positive because there is no region of steady stabilization. It has been proved that, in the case of thermal instability irreversible propagation, the rise in the commercial superconductor temperature is similar to diffusion processes that occur in explosive chain reactions.