Development of MgB2 superconductor wire with high critical current

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Kim, Chan Joong; Jun, Byung Hyuk; Park, Soon Dong; Kim, Nam Kyu; Kim, Yi Jeong; Yi, Ji Hye; Lee, Ji Hyun; Tan, Kai Sin

2009-07-01

The MgB 2 superconductor with smaller grain size could improve its critical properties by providing flux pinning centers with high grain boundary density. The effects of C doping such as charcoal, paper ash and glycerin on the superconducting properties was investigated for in situ processed MgB 2 samples using low purity semi-crystalline B powder. The results show a decrease in Tc and an enhancement of Jc at high fields for the C-doped samples as compared to the un-doped samples. A combined process of a mechanical ball milling and liquid glycerin (C 3 H 8 O 3 ) treatment of B powder has been conducted to enhance the superconducting properties of MgB 2 . The mechanical ball milling was effective for grain refinement, and a lattice disorder was easily achieved by glycerin addition. With the combined process, the critical properties was further increased due to a higher grain boundary density and a greater C substitution. To get fine grain structure of MgB 2 with high critical current properties, mechanical milling for as-received B powder and low temperature solid-state reaction of 550 or 600 .deg. C were attempted to in situ powder-in-tube processed MgB 2 /Fe wires. The critical current properties of the MgB 2 wires using the milled B powder were enhanced due to a smaller grain size and an increased volume of the superconducting phase. The solid-state reaction of a low temperature process for the samples using the milled B powder resulted in a poorer crystallinity with a smaller grain size, which improved superconducting properties. We established the system to measure the transport current properties of the MgB 2 wires. The field dependence of the transport Jc was evaluated for the MgB 2 wires heat-treated at different heat treatment conditions using ball-milled and glycerin-treated B powder. The MgB 2 magnet was developed and the AC loss of MgB 2 wire was also investigated. A conduction cooling device to cool the MgB 2 coil down to 4 K has been fabricated and the

Observation of pseudogap in MgB2

Science.gov (United States)

Patil, S.; Medicherla, V. R. R.; Ali, Khadiza; Singh, R. S.; Manfrinetti, P.; Wrubl, F.; Dhar, S. K.; Maiti, Kalobaran

2017-11-01

We investigate the electronic structure of a specially prepared highly dense conventional high temperature superconductor, MgB2, employing high resolution photoemission spectroscopy. The spectral evolution close to the Fermi energy is commensurate to BCS descriptions as expected. However, the spectra in the wider energy range reveal the emergence of a pseudogap much above the superconducting transition temperature indicating an apparent departure from the BCS scenario. The energy scale of the pseudogap is comparable to the energy of the E2g phonon mode responsible for superconductivity in MgB2 and the pseudogap can be attributed to the effect of electron-phonon coupling on the electronic structure. These results reveal a scenario of the emergence of the superconducting gap within an electron-phonon coupling induced pseudogap and have significant implications in the study of high temperature superconductors.

Plasma Synthesized Doped Boron Nanopowder for MgB2 Superconductors

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Marzik, James V.

2012-01-01

Under this program, a process to synthesize nano-sized doped boron powder by a plasma synthesis process was developed and scaled up from 20 gram batches at program start to over 200 grams by program end. Over 75 batches of boron nanopowder were made by RF plasma synthesis. Particle sizes were typically in the 20-200 nm range. The powder was synthesized by the reductive pyrolysis of BCl 3 in hydrogen in an RF plasma. A wide range of process parameters were investigated including plasma power, torch geometry, gas flow rates, and process pressure. The powder-in-tube technique was used to make monofilament and multifilament superconducting wires. MgB 2 wire made with Specialty Materials plasma synthesized boron nanopowder exhibited superconducting properties that significantly exceeded the program goals. Superconducting critical currents, J c , in excess of 10 5 A cm -2 at magnetic fields of 8 tesla were reproducibly achieved. The upper critical magnetic field in wires fabricated with program boron powder were H c2 (0) = 37 tesla, demonstrating the potential of these materials for high field magnet applications. T c in carbon-doped MgB 2 powder showed a systematic decrease with increasing carbon precursor gas flows, indicating the plasma synthesis process can give precise control over dopant concentrations. Synthesis rates increased by a factor of 400% over the course of the program, demonstrating the scalability of the powder synthesis process. The plasma synthesis equipment at Specialty Materials has successfully and reproducibly made high quality boron nanopowder for MgB 2 superconductors. Research and development from this program enabled Specialty Materials to successfully scale up the powder synthesis process by a factor of ten and to double the size of its powder pilot plant. Thus far the program has been a technical success. It is anticipated that continued systematic development of plasma processing parameters, dopant chemistry and concentration, wire

Surface barrier and bulk pinning in MgB$_2$ superconductor

OpenAIRE

Pissas, M.; Moraitakis, E.; Stamopoulos, D.; Papavassiliou, G.; Psycharis, V.; Koutandos, S.

2001-01-01

We present a modified method of preparation of the new superconductor MgB$_2$. The polycrystalline samples were characterized using x-ray and magnetic measurements. The surface barriers control the isothermal magnetization loops in powder samples. In bulk as prepared samples we always observed symmetric magnetization loops indicative of the presence of a bulk pinning mechanism. Magnetic relaxation measurements in the bulk sample reveal a crossover of surface barrier to bulk pinning.

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

Specific heat of the 38-K superconductor MgB_2 in the normal and superconducting state: bulk evidence for a double gap

OpenAIRE

Junod, Alain; Wang, Yuxing; Bouquet, Frederic; Toulemonde, Pierre

2001-01-01

The specific heat of two polycrystalline samples of MgB_2 is presented and analyzed (2 - 300 K, 0 - 16 T), together with magnetic properties. The main characteristics are a low density of states at the Fermi level, high phonon frequencies, and an anomalous temperature- and field- dependence of the specific heat at T < T_c. A two-gap model with a gap ratio of 3:1 fits the specific heat in zero field. The smaller gap is washed out by a field of 0.5 T.

Specific heat of MgB2 in a one- and a two-band model from first-principles calculations

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Golubov, A.A.; Dolgov, O.V.; Jepsen, O.; Kong, Y.; Andersen, O.K.; Gibson, B.J.; Ahn, K.; Kremer, R.K.; Kortus, J.

2002-01-01

The heat capacity anomaly at the transition to superconductivity of the layered superconductor MgB 2 is compared to first-principles calculations with the Coulomb repulsion, μ*, as the only parameter which is fixed to give the measured T c . We solve the Eliashberg equations for both an isotropic one-band model and a two-band model with different superconducting gaps on the π-band anσd-band Fermi surfaces. The agreement with experiments is considerably better for the two-band model than for the one-band model. (author)

Dry cryomagnetic system with MgB2 coil

Science.gov (United States)

Abin, D. A.; Mineev, N. A.; Osipov, M. A.; Pokrovskii, S. V.; Rudnev, I. A.

2017-12-01

MgB2 may be the future superconducting wire material for industrial magnets due to it’s higher operation temperature and potentially lower cost than low temperature superconductors (LTS) have. We designed a compact cryomagnetic system with the use of MgB2. The possibility of creating a magnet with a central field of 5 T from a commercial MgB2 wire by the “react and wound” method was investigated. The magnetic system is cooled by a cryocooler through a copper bus. The magnet has a warm bore diameter of 4 cm. The design of a magnet consisting of three concentric solenoids is proposed: an internal one of high-temperature superconductor (HTS), an average of MgB2, and an external of NbTi. The operating current of the system is 100 A. Two pairs of current leads are used. A separate pair of current leads for power supplying NbTi coil allows testing of MgB2 and HTS coils in an external field. The load curves for each of the magnets are calculated.

Phase dynamics of single long Josephson junction in MgB2 superconductor

Science.gov (United States)

Chimouriya, Shanker Pd.; Ghimire, Bal Ram; Kim, Ju H.

2018-05-01

A system of perturbed sine Gordon equations is derived to a superconductor-insulator-superconductor (SIS) long Joseph-son junction as an extension of the Ambegaokar-Baratoff relation, following the long route of path integral formalism. A computer simulation is performed by discretizing the equations using finite difference approximation and applied to the MgB2 superconductor with SiO2 as the junction material. The solution of unperturbed sG equation is taken as the initial profile for the simulation and observed how the perturbation terms play the role to modify it. It is found initial profile deformed as time goes on. The variation of total Josephson current has also been observed. It is found that, the perturbation terms play the role for phase frustration. The phase frustration achieves quicker for high tunneling current.

Superconducting and normal state properties of carbon doped and neutron irradiated MgB2

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Wilke, R.H.T.; Samuely, P.; Szabo, P.; Holanova, Z.; Bud'ko, S.L.; Canfield, P.C.; Finnemore, D.K.

2007-01-01

Current research in MgB 2 focuses on the effects various types of perturbations have on the superconducting properties of this novel two-gap superconductor. In this article we summarize the effects of carbon doping and neutron irradiation in bulk MgB 2 . Low levels of carbon doping and light neutron irradiation result in significant enhancements in H c2 . At high fluences, where superconductivity is nearly fully suppressed, superconductivity can be restored through post exposure annealing. However, this results in a change in the interdependencies of the normal state and superconducting properties (ρ 0 , T c , H c2 ), with little or no enhancement in H c2

Superconductivity, critical current density, and flux pinning in MgB2-x(SiC)x/2 superconductor after SiC nanoparticle doping

Science.gov (United States)

Dou, S. X.; Pan, A. V.; Zhou, S.; Ionescu, M.; Wang, X. L.; Horvat, J.; Liu, H. K.; Munroe, P. R.

2003-08-01

We investigated the effect of SiC nanoparticle doping on the crystal lattice structure, critical temperature Tc, critical current density Jc, and flux pinning in MgB2 superconductor. A series of MgB2-x(SiC)x/2 samples with x=0-1.0 were fabricated using an in situ reaction process. The contraction of the lattice and depression of Tc with increasing SiC doping level remained rather small most likely due to the counterbalancing effect of Si and C co-doping. The high level Si and C co-doping allowed the creation of intragrain defects and highly dispersed nanoinclusions within the grains which can act as effective pinning centers for vortices, improving Jc behavior as a function of the applied magnetic field. The enhanced pinning is mainly attributable to the substitution-induced defects and local structure fluctuations within grains. A pinning mechanism is proposed to account for different contributions of different defects in MgB2-x(SiC)x/2 superconductors.

MgB_{2} nonlinear properties investigated under localized high rf magnetic field excitation

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Tamin Tai

2012-12-01

Full Text Available The high transition temperature and low surface resistance of MgB_{2} attracts interest in its potential application in superconducting radio frequency accelerating cavities. However, compared to traditional Nb cavities, the viability of MgB_{2} at high rf fields is still open to question. Our approach is to study the nonlinear electrodynamics of the material under localized rf magnetic fields. Because of the presence of the small superconducting gap in the π band, the nonlinear response of MgB_{2} at low temperature is potentially complicated compared to a single-gap s-wave superconductor such as Nb. Understanding the mechanisms of nonlinearity coming from the two-band structure of MgB_{2}, as well as extrinsic sources of nonlinearity, is an urgent requirement. A localized and strong rf magnetic field, created by a magnetic write head, is integrated into our nonlinear-Meissner-effect scanning microwave microscope [T. Tai et al., IEEE Trans. Appl. Supercond. 21, 2615 (2011ITASE91051-822310.1109/TASC.2010.2096531]. MgB_{2} films with thickness 50 nm, fabricated by a hybrid physical-chemical vapor deposition technique on dielectric substrates, are measured at a fixed location and show a strongly temperature-dependent third harmonic response. We propose that several possible mechanisms are responsible for this nonlinear response.

Sugar as an optimal carbon source for the enhanced performance of MgB2 superconductors at high magnetic fields

Science.gov (United States)

Shcherbakova, O. V.; Pan, A. V.; Wang, J. L.; Shcherbakov, A. V.; Dou, S. X.; Wexler, D.; Babić, E.; Jerčinović, M.; Husnjak, O.

2008-01-01

In this paper we report the results of an extended study of the effect of sugar doping on the structural and electromagnetic properties of MgB2 superconductors. High values of the upper critical field (Bc2) of 36 T and the irreversibility field (Birr) of 27 T have been estimated at the temperature of 5 K in a bulk MgB2 sample with the addition of 10 wt% of sugar. The critical current density (Jc(Ba)) of sugar-doped samples has been significantly improved in the high field region. The value of transport Jc has reached as high as 108 A m-2 at 10 T and 5 K for Fe-sheathed sugar-doped MgB2 wire. The analysis of the pinning mechanism in the samples investigated indicated that dominant vortex pinning occurs on the surface type of pinning defects, such as grain boundaries, dislocations, stacking faults etc, for both pure and doped MgB2. In sugar-doped samples, pinning is governed by numerous crystal lattice defects, which appear in MgB2 grains as a result of crystal lattice distortion caused by carbon substitution for boron and nano-inclusions. The drastically improved superconducting properties of sugar-doped samples are also attributed to the highly homogeneous distribution and enhanced reactivity of this dopant with host Mg and B powders. The results of this work suggest that sugar is the optimal source of carbon for doping MgB2 superconductor, especially for application at high magnetic fields.

Direct observation of superconducting gaps in MgB 2 by angle-resolved photoemission spectroscopy

Science.gov (United States)

Souma, S.; Machida, Y.; Sato, T.; Takahashi, T.; Matsui, H.; Wang, S.-C.; Ding, H.; Kaminski, A.; Campuzano, J. C.; Sasaki, S.; Kadowaki, K.

2004-08-01

High-resolution angle-resolved photoemission spectroscopy has been carried out to clarify the anomalous superconductivity of MgB 2. We observed three bands crossing the Fermi level, which are ascribed to B2p-σ, π and surface bands. We have succeeded for the first time in directly observing the superconducting gaps of these bands separately. We have found that the superconducting-gap sizes of σ and surface bands are 6.5 ± 0.5 and 6.0 ± 0.5 meV, respectively, while that of the π band is much smaller (1.5 ± 0.5 meV). The present experimental result unambiguously demonstrates the validity of the two-band superconductivity in MgB 2.

Direct observation of superconducting gaps in MgB2 by angle-resolved photoemission spectroscopy

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Souma, S.; Machida, Y.; Sato, T.; Takahashi, T.; Matsui, H.; Wang, S.-C.; Ding, H.; Kaminski, A.; Campuzano, J.C.; Sasaki, S.; Kadowaki, K.

2004-01-01

High-resolution angle-resolved photoemission spectroscopy has been carried out to clarify the anomalous superconductivity of MgB 2 . We observed three bands crossing the Fermi level, which are ascribed to B2p-σ, π and surface bands. We have succeeded for the first time in directly observing the superconducting gaps of these bands separately. We have found that the superconducting-gap sizes of σ and surface bands are 6.5 ± 0.5 and 6.0 ± 0.5 meV, respectively, while that of the π band is much smaller (1.5 ± 0.5 meV). The present experimental result unambiguously demonstrates the validity of the two-band superconductivity in MgB 2

Analysis of Hc2(θ,T) for Mg(B1-xCx)2 single crystals by using the dirty two-gap model

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Park, Min-Seok; Lee, Hyun-Sook; Kim, Jung-Dae; Kim, Heon-Jung; Jung, Myung-Hwa; Jo, Younghun; Lee, Sung-Ik

2007-01-01

To understand the effect of carbon doping on the superconductivity in MgB 2 , we obtained the angle- and temperature-dependent upper critical fields [H c2 (θ) and H c2 (T)] for Mg(B 1-x C x ) 2 single crystals (x = 0.06 and 0.1) from resistivity measurements while varying the temperature, the field, and the direction of the field. The detailed values of the diffusivity for two different directions for each σ-band and π-band were obtained to explain both the temperature- and the angle-dependent H c2 by using the dirty-limit two-gap model. The induced impurity scattering of the σ-band and the π-band for both the ab-plane and the c-direction is studied. (fast track communication)

Effects of α-particle beam irradiation on superconducting properties of thin film MgB2 superconductors

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Kim, Sang Bum; Duong, Pham van; Ha, Dong Hyup; Oh, Young Hoon; Kang, Won Nam; Chai, Jong Seo [Sungkunkwan Univeversity, Suwon (Korea, Republic of); Hong, Seung Pyo; Kim, Ran Young [Kore Institute of Radiological and Medical Science, Seoul (Korea, Republic of)

2016-06-15

Superconducting properties of thin film MgB2 superconductors irradiated with 45 MeV α-particle beam were studied. After the irradiation, enhancement of the critical current density and pinning force was observed, scaling close to strong pinning formula. Double logarithmic plots of the maximum pinning force density with irreversible magnetic field show a power law behavior close to carbon-doped MgB2 film or polycrystals. Variation of normalized pinning force density in the reduced magnetic field suggests scaling formulas for strong pinning mechanism like planar defects. We also observed a rapid decay of critical current density as the vortex lattice constant decreases, due to the strong interaction between vortices and increasing magnetic field.

Very high upper critical fields in MgB2 produced by selective tuning of impurity scattering

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Gurevich, A; Patnaik, S; Braccini, V; Kim, K H; Mielke, C; Song, X; Cooley, L D; Bu, S D; Kim, D M; Choi, J H; Belenky, L J; Giencke, J; Lee, M K; Tian, W; Pan, X Q; Siri, A; Hellstrom, E E; Eom, C B; Larbalestier, D C

2004-01-01

We report a significant enhancement of the upper critical field H c2 of different MgB 2 samples alloyed with nonmagnetic impurities. By studying films and bulk polycrystals with different resistivities ρ, we show a clear trend of an increase in H c2 as ρ increases. One particular high resistivity film had a zero-temperature H c2 (0) well above the H c2 values of competing non-cuprate superconductors such as Nb 3 Sn and Nb-Ti. Our high-field transport measurements give record values H c2 perp (0) ∼ 34 T and H c2 par (0) ∼ 49 T for high resistivity films and H c2 (0) ∼ 29 T for untextured bulk polycrystals. The highest H c2 film also exhibits a significant upward curvature of H c2 (T) and a temperature dependence of the anisotropy parameter γ(T)=H c2 par / H c2 opposite to that of single crystals: γ(T) decreases as the temperature decreases, from γ(T c ) ∼ 2 γ(0) ∼ 1.5. This remarkable H c2 enhancement and its anomalous temperature dependence are a consequence of the two-gap superconductivity in MgB 2 , which offers special opportunities for further H c2 increases by tuning of the impurity scattering by selective alloying on Mg and B sites. Our experimental results can be explained by a theory of two-gap superconductivity in the dirty limit. The very high values of H c2 (T) observed suggest that MgB 2 can be made into a versatile, competitive high-field superconductor

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.

Multi-gap superconductivity in MgB2: Magneto-Raman spectroscopy

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Blumberg, G.; Mialitsin, A.; Dennis, B.S.; Zhigadlo, N.D.; Karpinski, J.

2007-01-01

Electronic Raman scattering studies on MgB 2 single crystals as a function of excitation and polarization have revealed three distinct superconducting features: a clean gap below 37 cm -1 and two coherence peaks at 109 and 78 cm -1 which we identify as the superconducting gaps in π- and σ-bands and as the Leggett's collective mode arising from the fluctuation in the relative phase between two superconducting condensates residing on corresponding bands. The temperature and field dependencies of the superconducting features have been established. A phononic Raman scattering study of the E 2g boron stretching mode anharmonicity and of superconductivity induced self-energy effects is presented. We show that anharmonic two phonon decay is mainly responsible for the unusually large linewidth of the E 2g mode. We observe ∼2.5% hardening of the E 2g phonon frequency upon cooling into the superconducting state and estimate the electron-phonon coupling strength associated with this renormalization

Two ways to model voltage-current curves of adiabatic MgB2 wires

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Stenvall, A; Korpela, A; Lehtonen, J; Mikkonen, R

2007-01-01

Usually overheating of the sample destroys attempts to measure voltage-current curves of conduction cooled high critical current MgB 2 wires at low temperatures. Typically, when a quench occurs a wire burns out due to massive heat generation and negligible cooling. It has also been suggested that high n values measured with MgB 2 wires and coils are not an intrinsic property of the material but arise due to heating during the voltage-current measurement. In addition, quite recently low n values for MgB 2 wires have been reported. In order to find out the real properties of MgB 2 an efficient computational model is required to simulate the voltage-current measurement. In this paper we go back to basics and consider two models to couple electromagnetic and thermal phenomena. In the first model the magnetization losses are computed according to the critical state model and the flux creep losses are considered separately. In the second model the superconductor resistivity is described by the widely used power law. Then the coupled current diffusion and heat conduction equations are solved with the finite element method. In order to compare the models, example runs are carried out with an adiabatic slab. Both models produce a similar significant temperature rise near the critical current which leads to fictitiously high n values

Temperature dependence of the optical conductivity and penetration depth in superconductor MgB2 film

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Moarrefi, M.; Yavari, H.; Elahi, M.

2010-01-01

By using Green's function method the temperature dependence of the optical conductivity and penetration depth of high-quality MgB 2 film are calculated in the framework of the two-band model. We compare our results with experimental data and we argue that the single gap model is insufficient to describe the optical and penetration depth behavior, but the two-band model with different symmetries describes the data rather well. In the two gap model we consider that the both components of optical conductivity are a weighted sum of the contribution from σ and π bonds and hybridization between them is negligible.

The increase in Tc for MgB2 superconductor under high pressure

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Liu, Z-X; Jin, C-Q; You, J-Y; Li, S-C; Zhu, J-L; Yu, R-C; Li, F-Y; Su, S-K

2002-01-01

We report in situ high-pressure studies up to 1.0 GPa on MgB 2 superconductor which had been synthesized at high pressure. The as-prepared sample is of high quality as regards having a sharp superconducting transition (T c ) at 39 K. The in situ high-pressure measurements were carried out using a Be-Cu piston-cylinder-type instrument with a mixed oil as the pressure-transmitting medium, which provides a quasi-hydrostatic pressure environment at low temperature. The superconducting transitions were measured using the electrical conductance method. It is found that T c increases with pressure in the initial pressure range, leading to a parabolic-like T c -P evolution

Development of magnesium diboride (MgB 2) wires and magnets using in situ strand fabrication method

Science.gov (United States)

Tomsic, Michael; Rindfleisch, Matthew; Yue, Jinji; McFadden, Kevin; Doll, David; Phillips, John; Sumption, Mike D.; Bhatia, Mohit; Bohnenstiehl, Scot; Collings, E. W.

2007-06-01

Since 2001 when magnesium diboride (MgB 2) was first reported to have a transition temperature of 39 K, conductor development has progressed to where MgB 2 superconductor wire in kilometer-long piece-lengths has been demonstrated in magnets and coils. Work has started on demonstrating MgB 2 wire in superconducting devices now that the wire is available commercially. MgB 2 superconductors and coils have the potential to be integrated in a variety of commercial applications such as magnetic resonance imaging, fault current limiters, transformers, motors, generators, adiabatic demagnetization refrigerators, magnetic separation, magnetic levitation, energy storage, and high energy physics applications. This paper discusses the progress on MgB 2 conductor and coil development in the last several years at Hyper Tech Research, Inc.

Development of magnesium diboride (MgB2) wires and magnets using in situ strand fabrication method

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Tomsic, Michael; Rindfleisch, Matthew; Yue, Jinji; McFadden, Kevin; Doll, David; Phillips, John; Sumption, Mike D.; Bhatia, Mohit; Bohnenstiehl, Scot; Collings, E.W.

2007-01-01

Since 2001 when magnesium diboride (MgB 2 ) was first reported to have a transition temperature of 39 K, conductor development has progressed to where MgB 2 superconductor wire in kilometer-long piece-lengths has been demonstrated in magnets and coils. Work has started on demonstrating MgB 2 wire in superconducting devices now that the wire is available commercially. MgB 2 superconductors and coils have the potential to be integrated in a variety of commercial applications such as magnetic resonance imaging, fault current limiters, transformers, motors, generators, adiabatic demagnetization refrigerators, magnetic separation, magnetic levitation, energy storage, and high energy physics applications. This paper discusses the progress on MgB 2 conductor and coil development in the last several years at Hyper Tech Research, Inc

Peak effect and vortex dynamics in superconducting MgB2 single crystals

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Lee, Hyun-Sook; Jang, Dong-Jin; Kim, Heon-Jung; Kang, Byeongwon; Lee, Sung-Ik

2007-01-01

The dynamic nature of the vortex state of MgB 2 single crystals near the peak effect (PE) region, which is very different either from that of conventional low-temperature superconductors or from that of high-temperature cuprate superconductors, is introduced in this article. Relaxation from a disordered, metastable field-cooled (FC) state to an ordered, stable zero-field-cooled (ZFC) state of the MgB 2 single crystals under an applied magnetic field and current is investigated. From an analysis of the noise properties in the ZFC state, a dynamic vortex phase diagram of the MgB 2 is obtained near the PE region. Between the onset and the peak region in the critical current vs. magnetic field diagram, crossovers from a high-noise state to a noise-free state are observed with increasing current. Above the peak, however, an opposite phenomenon, crossovers from a noise-free to a high-noise state, is observed which has not been observed in any other superconductors. The hysteresis in the I-V curves and the two-level random telegraph noise in the time evolution of the voltage response under an constant applied current at the ZFC state are also studied in detail

Effects of TiC doping on the upper critical field of MgB2 superconductors

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Yan, S.C.; Zhou, L.; Yan, G.; Lu, Y.F.

2008-01-01

TiC doped MgB 2 bulks were fabricated by two-step reaction method. The sample with a nominal compositions of Mg(B 0.95 (TiC) 0.05 ) 4 was first sintered at 1000 deg. C for 0.5 h. An appropriate amount of Mg was added to reach the stoichiometry of Mg(B 0.95 (TiC) 0.05 ) 2 , which was sintered at 750 deg. C for 2 h. The H c2 for the micro-TiC doped MgB 2 reached 12 T at 20 K. And J c is 5.3 x 10 4 A/cm 2 at 20 K and 1 T. The results indicate that the two-step reaction method could effectively introduce the carbon in TiC into the MgB 2 crystalline lattice, and therefore improve the upper critical field

Pseudopotential approach to superconductivity in MgB2

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Sharma, K.S.; Bhargava, Nidhi; Jain, Ritu; Goyal, Varsha; Sharma, Ritu; Sharma, Smita

2010-01-01

Superconductivity in MgB 2 has been re-examined in BCS-Eliashberg framework by employing Mc-Millan's T c -equation and form factors of MgB 2 computed from the form factors of component metals (Model-I). The empty core model pseudopotential due to Ashcroft and random phase approximation form of dielectric screening due to Gellmann and Brueckner are used in the present work. An excellent agreement between the present values and other theoretically computed values of T c and with the relevant experimental data for MgB 2 confirms the validity of the present approach. The explicit dependence of λ and T c on the isotopic masses of Mg and B, as revealed from the present work, confirms the role of lattice vibrations in the superconducting behaviour of MgB 2 and the high value of T c in it may be attributed to the phonon mediated e-e interaction coupled with higher values of phonon frequencies due to light mass of B atoms. It has also been observed that the pseudo-atom model (Model-II) with appropriate choice of the potential parameter r c successfully explains high value of T c and isotope effect in MgB 2 , confirming the prominent role played by electron-phonon interaction in the high-T c superconductivity observed in MgB 2 . The isotope effect exponent α-values obtained from the two models are in complete agreement with each other and the present value α = 0.46 is also much closer to the BCS value of 0.5. Interaction strength N 0 V values obtained from the two models are also in perfect agreement with each other and the present value N 0 V = 0.48 suggests that MgB 2 is a strong coupling superconductor. (author)

Multiple superconducting gaps in MgB2 single crystals from magnetic torque

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Atsumi, Toshiyuki; Xu, Mingxiang; Kitazawa, Hideaki; Ishida, Takekazu

2004-01-01

We have measured the magnetic torque of an MgB 2 single crystal in the various different fields below 10 kG by using a torque magnetometer and a 4 K closed cycle refrigerator. The MgB 2 single crystal was synthesized by the vapor transport method. The torque can be measured as an off-balance signal of the Wheatstone bridge of the four piezoresistors on a Si cantilever. The torque curves are analyzed by the Kogan model. The superconducting anisotropy γ is rather independent of temperature in 5 and 10 kG, but is dependent on field up to 60 kG. We consider that the field dependence of γ comes from the nature of the multiple superconducting gaps. The experimental results show that the π-band superconducting gaps have been deteriorated gradually up to a crossover field H * (π) ∼ 20 kG at 10 K when the magnetic field increases

Progress in the deposition of MgB2 thin films

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Xi, X X; Pogrebnyakov, A V; Zeng, X H; Redwing, J M; Xu, S Y; Li, Qi; Liu, Zi-Kui; Lettieri, J; Vaithyanathan, V; Schlom, D G; Christen, H M; Zhai, H Y; Goyal, A

2004-01-01

An MgB 2 thin film deposition technology is the first critical step in the development of superconducting electronics utilizing the 39 K superconductor. It turned out to be a challenging task due to the volatility of Mg and phase stability of MgB 2 , the low sticking coefficients of Mg at elevated temperatures, and the reactivity of Mg with oxygen. A brief overview of current deposition techniques is provided here from a thermodynamic perspective, with an emphasis on a very successful technique for high quality in situ epitaxial MgB 2 films, the hybrid physical-chemical vapour deposition. Examples of heterostructures of MgB 2 with other materials are also presented

Investigate the effect of anisotropic order parameter on the specific heat of anisotropic two-band superconductors

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Udomsamuthirun, P.; Peamsuwan, R.; Kumvongsa, C.

2009-01-01

The effect of anisotropic order parameter on the specific heat of anisotropic two-band superconductors in BCS weak-coupling limit is investigated. An analytical specific heat jump and the numerical specific heat are shown by using anisotropic order parameters, and the electron-phonon interaction and non-electron-phonon interaction. The two models of anisotropic order parameters are used for numerical calculation that we find little effect on the numerical results. The specific heat jump of MgB 2 , Lu 2 Fe 3 Si 5 and Nb 3 Sn superconductors can fit well with both of them. By comparing the experimental data with overall range of temperature, the best fit is Nb 3 Sn, MgB 2 , and Lu 2 Fe 3 Si 5 superconductors.

Two S-wave gap symmetry for single crystals of the superconductor BaFe1.8Co0.2As2

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Choi, Ki-Young; Kim, Soo Hyun; Choi, Changho; Jung, Myung-Hwa; Wang, X.F.; Chen, X.H.; Noh, Jae Dong; Lee, Sung-IK

2010-01-01

To clarify the gap structure of the iron-pnictide superconductors, we synthesized optimally doped single crystals of BaFe 1.8 Co 0.2 As 2 , which had a critical temperature, T c , of 23.6 K. The initial M-H curve was used to find the lower critical field, H c1 . The full range of the temperature dependence of H c1 was explained by using a two S-wave gap symmetry. We estimate the two gap as Δ 1 (0) = 1.64 ± 0.2 meV for the small gap and Δ 2 (0) = 6.20 ± 0.2 meV for the large gap.

Co-current Doping Effect of Nanoscale Carbon and Aluminum Nitride on Critical Current Density and Flux Pinning Properties of Bulk MgB2 Superconductors

Science.gov (United States)

Tripathi, D.; Dey, T. K.

2018-05-01

The effect of nanoscale aluminum nitride (n-AlN) and carbon (n-C) co-doping on superconducting properties of polycrystalline bulk MgB2 superconductor has been investigated. Polycrystalline pellets of MgB2, MgB2 + 0.5 wt% AlN (nano), MgB_{1.99}C_{0.01} and MgB_{1.99}C_{0.01} + 0.5 wt% AlN (nano) have been synthesized by a solid reaction process under inert atmosphere. The transition temperature (TC) estimated from resistivity measurement indicates only a small decrease for C (nano) and co-doped MgB2 samples. The magnetic field response of investigated samples has been measured at 4, 10, and 20 K in the field range ± 6 T. MgB2 pellets co-doped with 0.5 wt% n-AlN and 1 wt% n-C display appreciable enhancement in critical current density (J_C) of MgB2 in both low (≥ 3 times), as well as, high-field region (≥ 15 times). J_C versus H behavior of both pristine and doped MgB2 pellets is well explained in the light of the collective pinning model. Further, the normalized pinning force density f_p(= F_p/F_{pmax}) displays a fair correspondence with the scaling procedure proposed by Eisterer et al. Moreover, the scaled data of the pinning force density (i.e., f_p{-}h data) of the investigated pellets at different temperature are well interpreted by a modified Dew-Hughes expression reported by Sandu and Chee.

Two-dimensional macroscopic quantum tunneling in multi-gap superconductor Josephson junctions

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Asai, Hidehiro; Kawabata, Shiro; Ota, Yukihiro; Machida, Masahiko

2014-01-01

Low-temperature characters of superconducting devices yield definite probes for different superconducting phenomena. We study the macroscopic quantum tunneling (MQT) in a Josephson junction, composed of a single-gap superconductor and a two-gap superconductor. Since this junction has two kinds to the superconducting phase differences, calculating the MQT escape rate requires the analysis of quantum tunneling in a multi-dimensional configuration space. Our approach is the semi-classical approximation along a 1D curve in a 2D potential- energy landscape, connecting two adjacent potential (local) minimums through a saddle point. We find that this system has two plausible tunneling paths; an in-phase path and an out-of-phase path. The former is characterized by the Josephson-plasma frequency, whereas the latter is by the frequency of the characteristic collective mode in a two-band superconductor, Josephson- Leggett mode. Depending on external bias current and inter-band Josephson-coupling energy, one of them mainly contributes to the MQT. Our numerical calculations show that the difference between the in-phase path and the out-of-phase path is manifest, with respect to the bias- current-dependence of the MQT escape rate. This result suggests that our MQT setting be an indicator of the Josephson-Leggett mode

A Novel Method for Measurements of the Penetration Depth of MgB2 Superconductor Films by Using Sapphire Resonators with Short-Circuited Parallel Plates

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Jung, Ho Sang; Lee, J. H.; Cho, Y. H.; Lee, Sang Young; Seong, W. K.; Lee, N. H.; Kang, W. N.

2009-01-01

We introduce a measurement method that enables to measure the penetration depth(λ) of superconductor films by using a short-ended parallel plate sapphire resonator. Variations in the (λof MgB 2 films could be measured down to the lowest temperature using a sapphire resonator with a YBa 2 Cu 3 O 7-x film at the bottom. A model equation of λλ 0 [1-(T/T c ) τ ] -1/2 for MgB 2 films appeared to describe the observed variations of the resonant frequency of the sapphire resonator with temperature, with λ 0 , τ and T c used as the fitting parameters.

Microwave Synthesis and Magnetic Properties of High Tc Superconductor MGB2

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Koeseoglu, Y.

2004-01-01

Polycrystalline powders of MgB 2 have been synthesized by microwave synthesis technique. Crystallographic information of the sample was investigated by powder X-ray diffraction (XRD). The main phase was determined as MgB2, and secondary phases as MgB4 and MgO. The temperature dependence of magnetic properties of polycrystalline MgB2, synthesized by using microwave heating of the constituents have been characterized by SQUID magnetometer and X-band EPR spectrometer. The transition temperature to the superconducting phase is observed as 39K for both measurements. An isotropic, strong and very narrow EPR signal corresponding to free electron g-value (ge=2.0023) is observed. The observed line broadening with decreasing temperature might arise from the dipolar interactions between the superparamagnetic nanoparticles. Normally, the internal magnetic field originating from magnetic entities is expected to be more uniform as a result of highly ordered magnetic moments at low temperatures; giving narrower ESR line in contrary in our case. While the ESR line is broadened, the signal intensity is drastically decreased just below T c =39 K corresponding to a transition temperature from normal to superconducting state. Some minor changes in both intensity and line width curves might be taken as signs for changes of local crystalline field symmetry around weakly localized conduction electrons or holes, which are the sources of ESR signal in MgB 2 compound

Microwave absorption studies of MgB2 superconductor

Indian Academy of Sciences (India)

band (9–. 10 GHz) spectrometer. Both polycrystalline pellet and single-grain MgB2, having nearly the same Tc (∼ 39 K) and same size (3×2×1 mm3), were used in the present investigations. Low field modulated microwave absorption signals ...

The increase in T sub c for MgB sub 2 superconductor under high pressure

CERN Document Server

Liu, Z X; You, J Y; Li, S C; Zhu, J L; Yu, R C; Li, F Y; Su, S K

2002-01-01

We report in situ high-pressure studies up to 1.0 GPa on MgB sub 2 superconductor which had been synthesized at high pressure. The as-prepared sample is of high quality as regards having a sharp superconducting transition (T sub c) at 39 K. The in situ high-pressure measurements were carried out using a Be-Cu piston-cylinder-type instrument with a mixed oil as the pressure-transmitting medium, which provides a quasi-hydrostatic pressure environment at low temperature. The superconducting transitions were measured using the electrical conductance method. It is found that T sub c increases with pressure in the initial pressure range, leading to a parabolic-like T sub c -P evolution.

Flux pinning behaviors of Ti and C co-doped MgB2 superconductors

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Yang, Y.; Zhao, D.; Shen, T.M.; Li, G.; Zhang, Y.; Feng, Y.; Cheng, C.H.; Zhang, Y.P.; Zhao, Y.

2008-01-01

Flux pinning behavior of carbon and titanium concurrently doped MgB 2 alloys has been studied by ac susceptibility and dc magnetization measurements. It is found that critical current density and irreversibility field of MgB 2 have been significantly improved by doping C and Ti concurrently, sharply contrasted to the situation of C-only-doped or Ti-only-doped MgB 2 samples. AC susceptibility measurement reveals that the dependence of the pinning potential on the dc applied field of Mg 0.95 Ti 0.05 B 1.95 C 0.05 has been determined to be U(B dc )∝B dc -1 compared to that of MgB 2 U(B dc )∝B dc -1.5 . As to the U(J) behavior, a relationship of U(J) ∝ J -0.17 is found fitting well for Mg 0.95 Ti 0.05 B 1.95 C 0.05 with respect to U(J) ∝ J -0.21 for MgB 2 . All the results reveal a strong enhancement of the high field pinning potential in C and Ti co-doped MgB 2

Measurement of the anisotropy ratios in MgB2 single crystals

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Kim, Heon-Jung; Kang, Byeongwon; Lee, Hyun-Sook; Lee, Sung-Ik

2006-01-01

We present our recent measurements on the anisotropy ratios of MgB 2 single crystals. Our measurements indicate that the anisotropy ratios of the penetration depth and of the upper critical field have different magnitudes and temperature dependences, as predicted by theoretical calculations. These results imply that the two-gap nature can strongly influence the superconducting properties of MgB 2

Influence of the cooling rate on the main factors affecting current-carrying ability in pure and SiC-doped MgB2 superconductors

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Shcherbakova, O V; Pan, A V; Soltanian, S; Dou, S X; Wexler, D

2007-01-01

We have systematically studied and compared the effect of cooling rate on microstructure, critical current density, upper critical field and irreversibility field in pure and 10 wt% SiC-added MgB 2 superconductors. The sintering process was carried out on the samples at a temperature of 750 deg. C for 1 h followed by quenching or cooling to room temperature in 0.3 h (2433 deg. C h -1 ), 14 h (52 deg. C h -1 ) and 25 h (30 deg. C h -1 ). Changes in the microstructure due to variations in cooling rate have been studied with the help of scanning and transmission electron microscopy. Correlations between microstructure and superconducting properties have been observed, identified and explained for both pure and SiC-added MgB 2 samples. Modifications to the pinning environment and grain boundary transparency are considered to be responsible for variations in the current-carrying ability. The dominant pinning on grain boundaries in the pure MgB 2 samples and on nano-inclusions (inducing accompanying defects) in the SiC-doped samples is clearly distinguished. On the basis of our experimental results, we have concluded that the cooling rate can be an important parameter influencing the superconducting properties of MgB 2 samples

Formation of MgB2 at ambient temperature with an electrochemical process: a plausible mechanism

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Jadhav, A B; Subhedar, K M; Hyam, R S; Talaptra, A; Sen, Pintu; Bandyopadhyay, S K; Pawar, S H

2005-01-01

The binary intermetallic MgB 2 superconductor has been synthesized by many research groups. However, the mechanism of its formation is not clearly understood. In this communication, a comprehensive mechanism of the formation of MgB 2 from Le Chatelier's principle of equilibrium reaction has been explained both for solid-state reaction and electrodeposition methods. (rapid communication)

A trapped field of >3 T in bulk MgB2 fabricated by uniaxial hot pressing

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Durrell, J H; Dennis, A; Shi, Y; Xu, Z; Campbell, A M; Babu, N Hari; Cardwell, D A; Dancer, C E J; Todd, R I; Grovenor, C R M

2012-01-01

A trapped field of over 3 T has been measured at 17.5 K in a magnetized stack of two disc-shaped bulk MgB 2 superconductors of diameter 25 mm and thickness 5.4 mm. The bulk MgB 2 samples were fabricated by uniaxial hot pressing, which is a readily scalable, industrial technique, to 91% of their maximum theoretical density. The macroscopic critical current density derived from the trapped field data using the Biot–Savart law is consistent with the measured local critical current density. From this we conclude that critical current density, and therefore trapped field performance, is limited by the flux pinning available in MgB 2 , rather than by lack of connectivity. This suggests strongly that both increasing sample size and enhancing pinning through doping will allow further increases in trapped field performance of bulk MgB 2 . (rapid communication)

Improved flux pinning behaviour in bulk MgB2 achieved by nano-SiO2 addition

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Rui, X F; Zhao, Y; Xu, Y Y; Zhang, L; Sun, X F; Wang, Y Z; Zhang, H

2004-01-01

Bulk MgB 2 with SiO 2 nanoparticles added has been synthesized using a simple solid-state reaction route. The lattice constant in the c direction increases with additive content due to a small amount of Si being doped into the lattice of the MgB 2 ; however, T c is almost fixed at 37.2 K. The addition of SiO 2 nanoparticles also improves the J c -H and H irr -T characteristics of MgB 2 when the additive content is lower than 7%. At 20 K and 1 T, J c for the sample with 7% additive content reaches 2.5 x 10 5 A cm -2 . Microstructural analysis reveals that a high density of MgSi 2 nanoparticles (10-50 nm) exists inside the MgB 2 grains, leading to the formation of a nanocomposite superconductor

Influence of linear-energy-dependent density of states on two-band superconductors: Three-square-well model approach

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Ogbuu, O.A.; Abah, O.C.; Asomba, G.C.; Okoye, C.M.I.

2011-01-01

We derived the transition temperature and the isotope exponent of two-band superconductor. We employed Bogoliubov-Valatin formalism assuming a three-square-well potential. The effect of linear-energy-dependent electronic DOS in superconductors is considered. The relevance of the studies to MgB 2 is analyzed. We have derived the expressions for the transition temperature and the isotope effect exponent within the framework of Bogoliubov-Valatin two-band formalism using a linear-energy-dependent electronic density of states assuming a three-square-well potentials model. Our results show that the approach could be used to account for a wide range of values of the transition temperature and isotope effect exponent. The relevance of the present calculations to MgB 2 is analyzed.

Design of MgB2 Superconducting coils for the Ignitor Experiment*

Science.gov (United States)

Grasso, G.; Penco, R.; Berta, S.; Coppi, B.; Giunchi, G.

2009-11-01

A feasibility study for the adoption of MgB2 superconducting cables for the largest (about 5 m in diameter) of the poloidal field coils of the Ignitor machine is being carried out. This initiative was prompted by the progress made in the fabrication of MgB2 long cables, and related superconducting magnets of relatively large dimensions. These magnets will be cryocooled at the operating temperature of 10-15 K that is compatible with the He-gas cryogenic cooling system of Ignitor as well as with the projected superconducting current density of the MgB2 material, at the magnetic field values (˜4-5 T) in which these coils are designed to operate. The optimal cable configuration has been identified that can provide an efficient cooling of the MgB2 conductors over times compatible with the machine duty cycles. MgB2 superconductors hold the promise of becoming suitable for high field magnets by appropriate doping of the material and of replacing gradually the normal conducting coils adopted, by necessity, in high field experiments. Therefore, an appropriate R&D program on the development of improved MgB2 material and related superconducting cabling options has been undertaken, involving different institutions.

MgB2-based superconductors for fault current limiters

Science.gov (United States)

Sokolovsky, V.; Prikhna, T.; Meerovich, V.; Eisterer, M.; Goldacker, W.; Kozyrev, A.; Weber, H. W.; Shapovalov, A.; Sverdun, V.; Moshchil, V.

2017-02-01

A promising solution of the fault current problem in power systems is the application of fast-operating nonlinear superconducting fault current limiters (SFCLs) with the capability of rapidly increasing their impedance, and thus limiting high fault currents. We report the results of experiments with models of inductive (transformer type) SFCLs based on the ring-shaped bulk MgB2 prepared under high quasihydrostatic pressure (2 GPa) and by hot pressing technique (30 MPa). It was shown that the SFCLs meet the main requirements to fault current limiters: they possess low impedance in the nominal regime of the protected circuit and can fast increase their impedance limiting both the transient and the steady-state fault currents. The study of quenching currents of MgB2 rings (SFCL activation current) and AC losses in the rings shows that the quenching current density and critical current density determined from AC losses can be 10-20 times less than the critical current determined from the magnetization experiments.

Specific heat of MgB_2 after irradiation

OpenAIRE

Wang, Yuxing; Bouquet, Frederic; Sheikin, Ilya; Toulemonde, Pierre; Revaz, Bernard; Eisterer, Michael; Weber, Harald W.; Hinderer, Joerg; Junod, Alain

2002-01-01

We studied the effect of disorder on the superconducting properties of polycrystalline MgB_2 by specific-heat measurements. In the pristine state, these measurements give a bulk confirmation of the presence of two superconducting gaps with 2 Delta 0 / k_B T_c = 1.3 and 3.9 with nearly equal weights. The scattering introduced by irradiation suppresses T_c and tends to average the two gaps although less than predicted by theory. We also found that by a suitable irradiation process by fast neutr...

Electro-mechanical characterization of MgB2 wires for the Superconducting Link Project at CERN

Science.gov (United States)

Konstantopoulou, K.; Ballarino, A.; Gharib, A.; Stimac, A.; Garcia Gonzalez, M.; Perez Fontenla, A. T.; Sugano, M.

2016-08-01

In previous years, the R & D program between CERN and Columbus Superconductors SpA led to the development of several configurations of MgB2 wires. The aim was to achieve excellent superconducting properties in high-current MgB2 cables for the HL-LHC upgrade. In addition to good electrical performance, the superconductor shall have good mechanical strength in view of the stresses during operation (Lorenz forces and thermal contraction) and handling (tension and bending) during cabling and installation at room temperature. Thus, the study of the mechanical properties of MgB2 wires is crucial for the cable design and its functional use. In the present work we report on the electro-mechanical characterization of ex situ processed composite MgB2 wires. Tensile tests (critical current versus strain) were carried out at 4.2 K and in a 3 T external field by means of a purpose-built bespoke device to determine the irreversible strain limit of the wire. The minimum bending radius of the wire was calculated taking into account the dependence of the critical current with the strain and it was then used to obtain the minimum twist pitch of MgB2 wires in the cable. Strands extracted from cables having different configurations were tested to quantify the critical current degradation. The Young’s modulus of the composite wire was measured at room temperature. Finally, all measured mechanical parameters will be used to optimize an 18-strand MgB2 cable configuration.

RAPID COMMUNICATION: Formation of MgB2 at ambient temperature with an electrochemical process: a plausible mechanism

Science.gov (United States)

Jadhav, A. B.; Subhedar, K. M.; Hyam, R. S.; Talaptra, A.; Sen, Pintu; Bandyopadhyay, S. K.; Pawar, S. H.

2005-06-01

The binary intermetallic MgB2 superconductor has been synthesized by many research groups. However, the mechanism of its formation is not clearly understood. In this communication, a comprehensive mechanism of the formation of MgB2 from Le Chatelier's principle of equilibrium reaction has been explained both for solid-state reaction and electrodeposition methods.

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

Abrikosov flux-lines in two-band superconductors with mixed dimensionality

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Tanaka, K; Eschrig, M

2009-01-01

We study vortex structure in a two-band superconductor, in which one band is ballistic and quasi-two-dimensional (2D), and the other is diffusive and three-dimensional (3D). A circular cell approximation of the vortex lattice within the quasiclassical theory of superconductivity is applied to a recently developed model appropriate for such a two-band system (Tanaka et al 2006 Phys. Rev. B 73 220501(R); Tanaka et al 2007 Phys. Rev. B 75 214512). We assume that superconductivity in the 3D diffusive band is 'weak', i.e. mostly induced, as is the case in MgB 2 . Hybridization with the 'weak' 3D diffusive band has significant and intriguing influence on the electronic structure of the 'strong' 2D ballistic band. In particular, the Coulomb repulsion and the diffusivity in the 'weak' band enhance suppression of the order parameter and enlargement of the vortex core by magnetic field in the 'strong' band, resulting in reduced critical temperature and field. Moreover, increased diffusivity in the 'weak' band can result in an upward curvature of the upper critical field near the transition temperature. A particularly interesting feature found in our model is the appearance of additional bound states at the gap edge in the 'strong' ballistic band, which are absent in the single-band case. Furthermore, coupling with the 'weak' diffusive band leads to reduced bandgaps and van Hove singularities of energy bands of the vortex lattice in the 'strong' ballistic band. We find these intriguing features for parameter values appropriate for MgB 2 .

Hall conductivity and the vortex phase in MgB2 thin films

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Jung, Soon-Gil; Seong, W K; Huh, Ji Young; Lee, T G; Kang, W N; Choi, Eun-Mi; Kim, Heon-Jung; Lee, Sung-Ik

2007-01-01

In a MgB 2 thin film superconductor, we have found that Hall conductivity (σ xy ) is described by the sum of two terms, σ xy = C 1 /H+C 3 H, where C 1 and C 3 are independent of the magnetic fields and have positive values. C 1 is observed to be proportional to (1-t) n with n = 4.2, where t is the reduced temperature (T/T c ), and C 3 is weakly dependent on the temperature. These results are consistent with those of the overdoped La 2-x Sr x CuO 4 superconductors. Based on Hall angle data, we obtained a vortex phase diagram with three regions, vortex-solid, crossover, and vortex-liquid regions in the H-T plane

Evaluation of Young’s modulus of MgB2 filaments in composite wires for the superconducting links for the high-luminosity LHC upgrade

Science.gov (United States)

Sugano, Michinaka; Ballarino, Amalia; Bartova, Barbora; Bjoerstad, Roger; Gerardin, Alexandre; Scheuerlein, Christian

2016-02-01

MgB2 wire is a promising superconductor for the superconducting links for the high-luminosity upgrade of the large Hadron collider at CERN. The mechanical properties of MgB2 must be fully quantified for the cable design, and in this study, we evaluate the Young’s modulus of MgB2 filaments in wires with a practical level of critical current. The Young’s moduli of MgB2 filaments by two different processes, in situ and ex situ, were compared. Two different evaluation methods were applied to an in situ MgB2 wire, a single-fiber tensile test and a tensile test after removing Monel. In addition, the Young’s modulus of the few-micron-thick Nb-Ni reaction layer in an ex situ processed wire was evaluated using a nanoindentation testing technique to improve the accuracy of analysis based on the rule of mixtures. The Young’s moduli of the in situ and ex situ MgB2 wires were in the range of 76-97 GPa and no distinct difference depending on the fabrication process was found.

submitter Evaluation of Young’s modulus of MgB2 filaments in composite wires for the superconducting links for the high-luminosity LHC upgrade

CERN Document Server

Sugano, Michinaka; Bartova, Barbora; Bjoerstad, Roger; Gerardin, Alexandre; Scheuerlein, Christian

2015-01-01

MgB2 wire is a promising superconductor for the superconducting links for the high-luminosity upgrade of the large Hadron collider at CERN. The mechanical properties of MgB2 must be fully quantified for the cable design, and in this study, we evaluate the Young's modulus of MgB2 filaments in wires with a practical level of critical current. The Young's moduli of MgB2 filaments by two different processes, in situ and ex situ, were compared. Two different evaluation methods were applied to an in situ MgB2 wire, a single-fiber tensile test and a tensile test after removing Monel. In addition, the Young's modulus of the few-micron-thick Nb–Ni reaction layer in an ex situ processed wire was evaluated using a nanoindentation testing technique to improve the accuracy of analysis based on the rule of mixtures. The Young's moduli of the in situ and ex situ MgB2 wires were in the range of 76–97 GPa and no distinct difference depending on the fabrication process was found.

Directional scanning tunneling spectroscopy in MgB2

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Iavarone, M.; Karapetrov, G.; Koshelev, A.E.; Kwok, W.K.; Crabtree, G.W.; Hinks, D.G.; Cook, R.; Kang, W.N.; Choi, E.M.; Kim, H.J.; Lee, S.I.

2003-01-01

The superconductivity in MgB 2 has a two-band character with the dominating band having a 2D character and the second band being isotropic in the three dimensions. We use tunneling microscopy and spectroscopy to reveal the two distinct energy gaps at Δ 1 =2.3 meV and Δ 2 =7.1 meV. Different spectral weights of the partial superconducting density of states are a reflection of different tunneling directions in this multi-band system. The results are consistent with the existence of two-band superconductivity in the presence of strong interband superconducting pair interaction and quasiparticle scattering. The temperature evolution of the tunneling spectra shows both gaps vanishing at the bulk T c

Mixed-state flux dynamics in bulk MgB2

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Li Shi; Taylor, B.J.; Frederick, N.A.; Maple, M.B.; Nesterenko, V.F.; Indrakanti, S.S.

2002-01-01

Electric field vs. current density (E-J) isotherms in the mixed-state of a bulk sample of the high-temperature superconductor MgB 2 (T c =38.5 K), synthesized under 200 MPa pressure by hot isostatic pressing (HIPing), have been measured and analyzed in terms of the critical scaling model. Magnetization data reveal distinctly different critical current density (J c ) behaviors in high and low magnetic field critical scaling regions. E-J isotherm sets at fields ranging from 2 to 90 kOe conform to the vortex-glass (VG) scaling anzatz. Scaling analysis, resistivity data and J c data suggest that a Bragg-glass state may exist for H c2 (T), the VG transition line H g (T), and the magnetic irreversibility line H irr (T) has been established for bulk MgB 2

Electron paramagnetic resonance and Raman spectroscopy studies on carbon-doped MgB2 superconductor nanomaterials

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Bateni, Ali; Somer, Mehmet; Erdem, Emre; Repp, Sergej; Weber, Stefan; Acar, Selcuk; Kokal, Ilkin; Häßler, Wolfgang

2015-01-01

Undoped and carbon-doped magnesium diboride (MgB 2 ) samples were synthesized using two sets of mixtures prepared from the precursors, amorphous nanoboron, and as-received amorphous carbon-doped nanoboron. The microscopic defect structures of carbon-doped MgB 2 samples were systematically investigated using X-ray powder diffraction, Raman and electron paramagnetic resonance spectroscopy. Mg vacancies and C-related dangling-bond active centers could be distinguished, and sp 3 -hybridized carbon radicals were detected. A strong reduction in the critical temperature T c was observed due to defects and crystal distortion. The symmetry effect of the latter is also reflected on the vibrational modes in the Raman spectra

Conceptual designs of conduction cooled MgB2 magnets for 1.5 and 3.0T full body MRI systems

Science.gov (United States)

Baig, Tanvir; Al Amin, Abdullah; Deissler, Robert J; Sabri, Laith; Poole, Charles; Brown, Robert W; Tomsic, Michael; Doll, David; Rindfleisch, Matthew; Peng, Xuan; Mendris, Robert; Akkus, Ozan; Sumption, Michael; Martens, Michael

2017-01-01

Conceptual designs of 1.5 and 3.0 T full-body magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) magnets using conduction cooled MgB2 superconductor are presented. The sizes, locations, and number of turns in the eight coil bundles are determined using optimization methods that minimize the amount of superconducting wire and produce magnetic fields with an inhomogeneity of less than 10 ppm over a 45 cm diameter spherical volume. MgB2 superconducting wire is assessed in terms of the transport, thermal, and mechanical properties for these magnet designs. Careful calculations of the normal zone propagation velocity and minimum quench energies provide support for the necessity of active quench protection instead of passive protection for medium temperature superconductors such as MgB2. A new ‘active’ protection scheme for medium Tc based MRI magnets is presented and simulations demonstrate that the magnet can be protected. Recent progress on persistent joints for multifilamentary MgB2 wire is presented. Finite difference calculations of the quench propagation and temperature rise during a quench conclude that active intervention is needed to reduce the temperature rise in the coil bundles and prevent damage to the superconductor. Comprehensive multiphysics and multiscale analytical and finite element analysis of the mechanical stress and strain in the MgB2 wire and epoxy for these designs are presented for the first time. From mechanical and thermal analysis of our designs we conclude there would be no damage to such a magnet during the manufacturing or operating stages, and that the magnet would survive various quench scenarios. This comprehensive set of magnet design considerations and analyses demonstrate the overall viability of 1.5 and 3.0 T MgB2 magnet designs. PMID:29170604

Band structure of superconducting MgB sub 2 and simulation of triple systems on its base

CERN Document Server

Medvedeva, N I; Zubkov, V G; Medvedeva, Y E; Freeman, A J

2001-01-01

The zone structure of the new superconductor - magnesium boride is studied through the FP-LMTO self-consistent method. The peculiarities of the MgB sub 2 electron properties are determined by the metal-like 2p-states of the boron atoms in the plane nets, forming the states density distribution near the Fermi level. The analysis of changes in the MgB sub 2 zone structure by: doping the boron sublattice (through the Be, C, N, O replacement admixtures), the magnesium sublattice (through the Be, Ca, Li, Na replacement admixtures) and availability of structural vacancies (nonstoichiometry by boron) is carried out. The MgB sub 2 electron and CaB sub 2 hypothetic structure is studied, depending on pressure

Effect of density of state on isotope effect exponent of two-band superconductors

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Udomsamuthirun, P.; Kumvongsa, C.; Burakorn, A.; Changkanarth, P.; Yoksan, S.

2005-01-01

The exact formula of T c 's equation and the isotope effect exponent of two-band s-wave superconductors in weak-coupling limit are derived by considering the influence of two kinds of density of state: constant and van Hove singularity. The paring interaction in each band consisted of two parts: the electron-phonon interaction and non-electron-phonon interaction are included in our model. We find that the interband interaction of electron-phonon show more effect on isotope exponent than the intraband interaction and the isotope effect exponent with constant density of state can fit to experimental data, MgB 2 and high-T c superconductor, better than van Hove singularity density of state

Effects of disorder on the microwave properties of MgB2 polycrystalline films

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Ghigo, G.; Gerbaldo, R.; Gozzelino, L.; Laviano, F.; Mezzetti, E.; Ummarino, G. A.

2006-01-01

The role of disorder in superconducting magnesium diboride (MgB 2 ) policrystalline films is investigated in the high frequency range by a coplanar microwave resonator technique. Two sources of disorder are considered, heavy-ion irradiation damage and sample ageing. Microwave measurements are analyzed in the framework of the two-gap model with strong interband scattering contribution. It turns out that disorder enhancement increases the interband scattering rate, resulting in a reduction of the surface resistance at low temperatures, due to a slight increase of the π gap. Moreover, increasing disorder at grain boundaries induces a nonmonotonic residual surface resistance, showing the features of a resistive behavior for the highest disorder level. Finally, the effects of the different kinds of disorder on the intrinsic and on the grain-boundary properties of the MgB 2 films are compared and discussed

Effects of Bi-2212 addition on the levitation force properties of bulk MgB2 superconductors

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Taylan Koparan, E.; Savaskan, B.; Guner, S.B.; Celik, S.

2016-01-01

We present a detailed investigation of the effects of Bi 2 Sr 2 Ca 1 Cu 2 O 8+κ (Bi-2212) adding on the levitation force and magnetic properties of bulk MgB 2 obtained by hot press method. The amount of Bi-2212 was varied between 0 and 10 wt% (0, 2, 4, 6, 10 wt%) of the total MgB 2 . Moreover, we present MgB 2 bulk samples fabricated by using different production methods including hot pressing method to our knowledge. All samples were prepared by using elemental magnesium (Mg) powder, amorphous nano-boron (B) powder and Bi-2212 powder which are produced by hot press method. As a result of hot press process, compact pellet samples were manufactured. The vertical and lateral levitation force measurements were executed at the temperatures of 20, 24 and 28 K under zero-field-cooled (ZFC) and field-cooled (FC) regimes for samples with various adding levels. At 24 K and 28 K under ZFC regime, the 2 wt% Bi-2212 added sample exhibits a higher vertical levitation force than the pure sample. Bi-2212 added MgB 2 samples compared to the pure sample have lower attractive force values in FC regime. The magnetic field dependence of the critical current density J c was calculated from the M-H loops for Bi-2212 added MgB 2 samples. The 2 wt% Bi-2212 added sample has the best levitation and critical current density performance compared to other samples. The critical temperature (T c ) has slightly dropped from 37.8 K for the pure MgB 2 sample to 36.7 K for the 10 wt% of Bi-2212 added sample. The transition temperature slightly decreases when Bi-2212 adding level is increased. (orig.)

Quantized conductance doubling and hard gap in a two-dimensional semiconductor-superconductor heterostructure

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Kjærgaard, Morten; Nichele, F; Suominen, Henri Juhani

2016-01-01

topological matter is by coupling a 2D electron gas with strong spin-orbit interaction to an s-wave superconductor. Previous efforts along these lines have been adversely affected by interface disorder and unstable gating. Here we show measurements on a gateable InGaAs/InAs 2DEG with patterned epitaxial Al......, yielding devices with atomically pristine interfaces between semiconductor and superconductor. Using surface gates to form a quantum point contact (QPC), we find a hard superconducting gap in the tunnelling regime. When the QPC is in the open regime, we observe a first conductance plateau at 4e(2)/h...

Specific heat of MgB2 after irradiation

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Wang Yuxing; Bouquet, Frederic; Sheikin, Ilya; Toulemonde, Pierre; Revaz, Bernard; Eisterer, Michael; Weber, Harald W; Hinderer, Joerg; Junod, Alain

2003-01-01

We studied the effect of disorder on the superconducting properties of polycrystalline MgB 2 by specific-heat measurements. In the pristine state, these measurements give a bulk confirmation of the presence of two superconducting gaps with 2Δ 0 /k B T c =1.3 and 3.9 with nearly equal weights. The scattering introduced by irradiation suppresses T c and tends to average the two gaps although less than predicted by theory. We also found that by a suitable irradiation process by fast neutrons, a substantial bulk increase of dH c2 /dT at T c can be obtained without sacrificing more than a few degrees in T c . The upper critical field of the sample after irradiation exceeds 28 T at T→0

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.

Design of MgB2 superconducting dipole magnet for particle beam transport in accelerators

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Abrahamsen, A.B.; Zangenberg, N.; Baurichter, A.

2006-01-01

for the collaborating company Danfysik A/S, which has a strongtradition in building resistive magnets for particle accelerators[4]. A technology transfer project was formulated at the end of 2005 with the purpose to collect the knowledge about the MgB2 superconductor gained in the STVF program and in the European...... in a dipole magnet for guiding particle beams in a small scale accelerator is examined with the purpose to build lighter and smaller than the present resistive magnets. Here the criticalcurrent density of primarily MgB2 will be compared with current density determined by specifications similar to the Tevatron...... accelerator, B = 4:4 Tesla and coil aperture D = 76 mm [6], which has been identified by Danfysik A/S as interesting. It isconcluded that MgB2 is useful for the dipole application and construction of a small test coil of one half of the magnet is planned in 2007....

Numerical simulation of quench protection for a 1.5 T persistent mode MgB2 conduction-cooled MRI magnet

Science.gov (United States)

Deissler, Robert J.; Baig, Tanvir; Poole, Charles; Amin, Abdullah; Doll, David; Tomsic, Michael; Martens, Michael

2017-02-01

The active quench protection of a 1.5 T MgB2 conduction-cooled MRI magnet operating in persistent current mode is considered. An active quench protection system relies on the detection of the resistive voltage developed in the magnet, which is used to trigger the external energizing of quench heaters located on the surfaces of all ten coil bundles. A numerical integration of the heat equation is used to determine the development of the temperature profile and the maximum temperature in the coil at the origin, or ‘hot spot’, of the quench. Both n-value of the superconductor and magnetoresistance of the wire are included in the simulations. An MgB2 wire manufactured by Hyper Tech Research, Inc. was used as the basis to model the wire for the simulations. With the proposed active quench protection system, the maximum temperature was limited to 200 K or less, which is considered low enough to prevent damage to the magnet. By substituting Glidcop for the Monel in the wire sheath or by increasing the thermal conductivity of the insulation, the margin for safe operation was further increased, the maximum temperature decreasing by more than 40 K. The strain on the MgB2 filaments is calculated using ANSYS, verifying that the stress and strain limits in the MgB2 superconductor and epoxy insulation are not exceeded.

Defect structure of ultrafine MgB2 nanoparticles

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Bateni, Ali; Somer, Mehmet; Repp, Sergej; Erdem, Emre; Thomann, Ralf; Acar, Selçuk

2014-01-01

Defect structure of MgB 2 bulk and ultrafine particles, synthesized by solid state reaction route, have been investigated mainly by the aid of X-band electron paramagnetic resonance spectrometer. Two different amorphous Boron (B) precursors were used for the synthesis of MgB 2 , namely, boron 95 (purity 95%–97%, <1.5 μm) and nanoboron (purity >98.5%, <250 nm), which revealed bulk and nanosized MgB 2 , respectively. Scanning and transmission electron microscopy analysis demonstrate uniform and ultrafine morphology for nanosized MgB 2 in comparison with bulk MgB 2 . Powder X-ray diffraction data show that the concentration of the by-product MgO is significantly reduced when nanoboron is employed as precursor. It is observed that a significant average particle size reduction for MgB 2 can be achieved only by using B particles of micron or nano size. The origin and the role of defect centers were also investigated and the results proved that at nanoscale MgB 2 material contains Mg vacancies. Such vacancies influence the connectivity and the conductivity properties which are crucial for the superconductivity applications

Critical Current Test of Liquid Hydrogen Cooled HTC Superconductors under External Magnetic Field

OpenAIRE

Shirai, Yasuyuki; Shiotsu, Masahiro; Tatsumoto, Hideki; Kobayashi, Hiroaki; Naruo, Yoshihiro; Nonaka, Satoshi; Inatani, Yoshifumi

2016-01-01

High-Tc (HTC) superconductors including MgB2 will show excellent properties under temperature of Liquid Hydrogen (LH2:20K), which has large latent heat and low viscosity coefficient. In order to design and fabricate the LH2 cooled superconducting energy devices, we must clear the cooling property of LH2 for superconductors, the cooling system and safety design of LH2 cooled superconducting devices and electro-magnetic property evaluation of superconductors (BSCCO, REBCO and MgB2) and their ma...

Molecular-Beam Epitaxially Grown MgB2 Thin Films and Superconducting Tunnel Junctions

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Jean-Baptiste Laloë

2011-01-01

Full Text Available Since the discovery of its superconducting properties in 2001, magnesium diboride has generated terrific scientific and engineering research interest around the world. With a of 39 K and two superconducting gaps, MgB2 has great promise from the fundamental point of view, as well as immediate applications. Several techniques for thin film deposition and heterojunction formation have been established, each with its own advantages and drawbacks. Here, we will present a brief overview of research based on MgB2 thin films grown by molecular beam epitaxy coevaporation of Mg and B. The films are smooth and highly crystalline, and the technique allows for virtually any heterostructure to be formed, including all-MgB2 tunnel junctions. Such devices have been characterized, with both quasiparticle and Josephson tunneling reported. MgB2 remains a material of great potential for a multitude of further characterization and exploration research projects and applications.

Ex-situ manufacturing of SiC-doped MgB2 used for superconducting wire in medical device applications

Science.gov (United States)

Herbirowo, Satrio; Imaduddin, Agung; Sofyan, Nofrijon; Yuwono, Akhmad Herman

2017-02-01

Magnesium diboride (MgB2) is a superconductor material with a relatively high critical temperature. Due to its relatively high critical temperature, this material is promising and has the potential to replace Nb3Sn for wire superconducting used in many medical devices. In this work, nanoparticle SiC-doped MgB2 superconducting material has been fabricated through an ex-situ method. The doping of nanoparticle SiC by 10 and 15 wt% was conducted to analyze its effect on specific resistivity of MgB2. The experiment was started by weighing a stoichiometric amount of MgB2 and nanoparticles SiC. Both materials were mixed and grounded for 30 minutes by using an agate mortar. The specimens were then pressed into a 6 mm diameter stainless steel tube, which was then reduced until 3 mm through a wire drawing method. X-ray diffraction analysis was conducted to confirm the phase, whereas the superconductivity of the specimens was analyzed by using resistivity measurement under cryogenic magnetic system. The results indicated that the commercial MgB2 showed a critical temperature of 37.5 K whereas the SiC doped MgB2 has critical temperature of 38.3 K.

Correlated vortex pinning in Si-nanoparticle doped MgB2

OpenAIRE

Kusevic, I.; Babic, E.; Husnjak, O.; Soltanian, S.; Wang, X. L.; Dou, S. X.

2003-01-01

The magnetoresistivity and critical current density of well characterized Si-nanoparticle doped and undoped Cu-sheathed MgB$_{2}$ tapes have been measured at temperatures $T\\geq 28$ K in magnetic fields $B\\leq 0.9$ T. The irreversibility line $B_{irr}(T)$ for doped tape shows a stepwise variation with a kink around 0.3 T. Such $B_{irr}(T)$ variation is typical for high-temperature superconductors with columnar defects (a kink occurs near the matching field $% B_{\\phi}$) and is very different ...

Evaluation of carbon incorporation and strain of doped MgB2 superconductor by Raman spectroscopy

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Yeoh, W.K.; Zheng, R.K.; Ringer, S.P.; Li, W.X.; Xu, X.; Dou, S.X.; Chen, S.K.; MacManus-Driscoll, J.L.

2011-01-01

Raman spectroscopy is employed to study both the strain and the carbon substitution level in SiC-doped MgB 2 bulk samples. Raman spectroscopy was demonstrated to be a better method to distinguish the individual influences of strain and carbon than standard X-ray diffraction. It is found that the lattice parameter correlation method for C content determination is invalid for highly strained samples. Our result also provides an alternative explanation for lattice variation in non-carbon-doped MgB 2 , which is basically due to lattice strain.

Formation of polycrystalline MgB2 synthesized by powder in sealed tube method with different initial boron phase

Science.gov (United States)

Yudanto, Sigit Dwi; Imaduddin, Agung; Kurniawan, Budhy; Manaf, Azwar

2018-04-01

Magnesium diboride, MgB2 is a new high critical temperature superconductor that discovered in the beginning of the 21st century. The MgB2 has a simple crystal structure and a high critical temperature, which can be manufactured in several forms like thin films, tapes, wires including bulk in the large scale. For that reason, the MgB2 has good prospects for various applications in the field of electronic devices. In the current work, we have explored the synthesis of MgB2 polycrystalline using powder in a sealed tube method. Different initial boron phase for the synthesized of MgB2 polycrystalline were used. These were, in addition to magnesium powders, crystalline boron, amorphous boron and combination both of them were respectively fitted in the synthesis. The raw materials were mixed in a stoichiometric ratio of Mg: B=1:2, ground using agate mortar, packed into stainless steel SS304. The pack was then sintered at temperature of 800°C for 2 hours in air atmosphere. Phase formation of MgB2 polycrystalline in difference of initial boron phase was characterized using XRD and SEM. Referring to the diffraction pattern and microstructure observation, MgB2 polycrystalline was formed, and the formation was effective when using the crystalline Mg and fully amorphous B as the raw materials. The critical temperature of the specimen was evaluated by the cryogenic magnet. The transition temperature of the MgB2 specimen synthesized using crystalline magnesium and full amorphous boron is 42.678 K (ΔTc = 0.877 K).

Small Fermi energy, strong electron-phonon effects and anharmonicity in MgB2

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Cappelluti, E.; Pietronero, L.

2007-01-01

The investigation of the electron-phonon properties in MgB 2 has attracted a huge interest after the discovery of superconductivity with T c 39 K in this compound. Although superconductivity is often described in terms of the conventional Eliashberg theory, properly generalized in the multiband/multigap scenario, important features distinguish MgB 2 from other conventional strong-coupling superconductors. Most important it is the fact that a large part of the total electron-phonon strength seems to be concentrated here in only one phonon mode, the boron-boron E 2g stretching mode. Another interesting property is the small Fermi energy of the σ bands, which are strongly coupled with the E 2g mode. In this contribution, we discuss how the coexistence of both these features give rise to an unconventional phenomenology of the electron-phonon properties

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.

Fabrication of extruded wire of MgB2/Al composite material and its superconducting property and microstructure

Czech Academy of Sciences Publication Activity Database

Matsuda, K.; Nishimura, K.; Ikeno, S.; Mori, K.; Aoyama, S.; Yabumoto, Y.; Hishinuma, Y.; Müllerová, Ilona; Frank, Luděk; Yurchenko, V. V.; Johansen, T. H.

2008-01-01

Roč. 97, - (2008), 012230:1-6 E-ISSN 1742-6596. [European Conference on Applied Superconductivity /8./ - EUCAS 2007. Brussels, 16.09.2007-20.09.2007] Institutional research plan: CEZ:AV0Z20650511 Keywords : MgB2/Al composite * superconductors * electron microscopy Subject RIV: JI - Composite Materials

Enhancement of the critical current density and flux pinning of MgB2 superconductor by nanoparticle SiC doping

Science.gov (United States)

Dou, S. X.; Soltanian, S.; Horvat, J.; Wang, X. L.; Zhou, S. H.; Ionescu, M.; Liu, H. K.; Munroe, P.; Tomsic, M.

2002-10-01

Doping of MgB2 by nano-SiC and its potential for the improvement of flux pinning were studied for MgB2-x)(SiCx/2 with x=0, 0.2, and 0.3 and for 10 wt % nano-SiC-doped MgB2 samples. Cosubstitution of B by Si and C counterbalanced the effects of single-element doping, decreasing Tc by only 1.5 K, introducing intragrain pinning centers effective at high fields and temperatures, and significantly enhancing Jc and Hirr. Compared to the undoped sample, Jc for the 10 wt % doped sample increased by a factor of 32 at 5 K and 8 T, 42 at 20 K and 5 T, and 14 at 30 K and 2 T. At 20 K and 2 T, the Jc for the doped sample was 2.4 x105 A/cm2, which is comparable to Jc values for the best Ag/Bi-2223 tapes. At 20 K and 4 T, Jc was twice as high as for the best MgB2 thin films and an order of magnitude higher than for the best Fe/MgB2 tapes. The magnetic Jc is consistent with the transport Jc which remains at 20 000 A/cm2 even at 10 T and 5 K for the doped sample, an order of magnitude higher than the undoped one. Because of such high performance, it is anticipated that the future MgB2 conductors will be made using a formula of MgBxSiyCz instead of pure MgB2.

Design of MgB2 superconducting dipole magnet for particle beam transport in accelerators

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Abrahamsen, A.B.; Givel, J.C.; Andersen, N.H.; Zangenberg, N.; Baurichter, A.

2006-11-01

A comprehensive analysis of the innovation potential of superconductivity at Risoe was performed in February 2004 by the main author of this report. Several suggestions for new products and new markets were formulated by the superconductivity group and examined by the innovation staff at Risoe. The existing markets of superconducting technology is within highly specialized scientific areas such as magnetic confinement in fusion energy, sample environment in neutron scattering and large scale accelerators such as the Large Hadron Collider(LHC) at Cern, or in the nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR) community using MR-imaging scanners in medicine and phase identification in organic chemistry. Only the NMR applications can be categorized as a highly profitable and commercial market today. The superconductivity group of Risoe formulated and presented the gearless superconducting wind turbine multipole generator as the most promising new concept, but further initiatives were stopped due to unclear patent possibilities. The experience of the innovation review was used in the STVF framework program 'New superconductors: mechanisms, processes and products' to identify potential new product for the collaborating company Danfysik A/S, which has a strong tradition in building resistive magnets for particle accelerators. A technology transfer project was formulated at the end of 2005 with the purpose to collect the knowledge about the MgB2 superconductor gained in the STVF program and in the European Framework Program 6 project HIPERMAG. It was presented at the Risoe innovation seminar January 2006, and recently a collaboration between Risoe and Danfysik A/S was initialized. The present report aims to outline a potential superconducting product within the STVF program. The use of the MgB 2 superconductors in a dipole magnet for guiding particle beams in a small scale accelerator is examined with the purpose to build lighter and smaller than the present resistive magnets. Here the

Quantitative electron microscopy and spectroscopy of MgB2 wires and tapes

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Birajdar, B; Peranio, N; Eibl, O

2008-01-01

In MgB 2 the correlation of microstructure with superconducting properties, in particular the critical current density, requires powerful analytical tools. Critical current densities and electrical resistivities of different MgB 2 superconductors differ by orders of magnitudes and the current limiting mechanisms have not been fully understood. Granularity of MgB 2 is one significant reason for reduced critical current densities and is introduced intrinsically by the anisotropy of B c2 but also extrinsically by the microstructure of the material. B c2 enhancement by doping is another important challenge for chemical analysis and, at present, doping levels are not well controlled on the sub-μm scale. In this paper the quantitative electron microscopy and spectroscopy methods essential for the microstructural analysis of MgB 2 are described. By quantitative electron microscopy and spectroscopy we mean a combined SEM and TEM analysis that covers various length scales from μm to nm. Contamination-free sample preparation, chemical mapping including B, and advanced chemical quantification using x-ray microanalysis were essential elements of the applied methodology. The methodology was applied to in situ and ex situ MgB 2 wires and tapes with and without SiC additives. Quantitative B analysis by EDX spectroscopy was applied quantitatively in the SEM and TEM, which is a major achievement. Although MgB 2 is a binary system, the thermodynamics of phase formation is complex, and the complexity is dramatically increased if additives like SiC are used. The small, sub-μm grain sizes of the matrix and secondary phases require TEM methods. However, granularity on the μm scale was also identified and underlines the importance of the combined SEM and TEM studies. Significant differences in the microstructure were observed for in situ and ex situ samples. This holds particularly if SiC was added and yielded Mg 2 Si for in situ samples annealed at 600-650 deg. C and Mg-Si-O phases

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.

Low-Symmetry Gap Functions of Organic Superconductors

Science.gov (United States)

Mori, Takehiko

2018-04-01

Superconducting gap functions of various low-symmetry organic superconductors are investigated starting from the tight-binding energy band and the random phase approximation by numerically solving Eliashberg's equation. The obtained singlet gap function is approximately represented by an asymmetrical dx2 - y2 form, where two cosine functions are mixed in an appropriate ratio. This is usually called d + s wave, where the ratio of the two cosine functions varies from 1:1 in the two-dimensional limit to 1:0 in the one-dimensional limit. A single cosine function does not make a superconducting gap in an ideal one-dimensional conductor, but works as a relevant gap function in quasi-one-dimensional conductors with slight interchain transfer integrals. Even when the Fermi surface is composed of small pockets, the gap function is obtained supposing a globally connected elliptical Fermi surface. In such a case, we have to connect the second energy band in the second Brillouin zone. The periodicity of the resulting gap function is larger than the first Brillouin zone. This is because the susceptibility has peaks at 2kF, where the periodicity has to be twice the size of the global Fermi surface. In general, periodicity of gap function corresponds to one electron or two molecules in the real space. In the κ-phase, two axes are nonequivalent, but the exact dx2 - y2 symmetry is maintained because the diagonal transfer integral introduced to a square lattice is oriented to the node direction of the dx2 - y2 wave. By contrast, the θ-phase gap function shows considerable anisotropy because a quarter-filled square lattice has a different dxy symmetry.

Magnetic properties and critical current density of bulk MgB2 polycrystalline with Bi-2212 addition

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Shen, T M; Li, G; Zhu, X T; Cheng, C H; Zhao, Y

2005-01-01

Bulk samples of MgB 2 were prepared with 0, 3, 5, and 10 wt% Bi 2 Sr 2 CaCu 2 O 8 (Bi-2212) particles, added using a simple solid-state reaction route in order to investigate the effect of inclusions of a material with higher T c than the superconducting matrix. The density, diamagnetic signal, and critical current density, J c , of the samples change significantly with the doping level. It is found that J c is significantly enhanced by the Bi-2212 addition. Microstructural analysis indicates that a small amount of Bi-2212 is decomposed into Cu 2 O and other impurity phases while a significant amount of unreacted Bi-2212 particles remains in MgB 2 matrix, and these act as effective pinning centres for vortices. The enhanced pinning force is mainly attributable to these highly dispersed inclusions inserted in the MgB 2 grains. Despite the effectiveness of the high-T c inclusions in increasing superconducting critical currents in our experiment, our results seem to demonstrate the superiority of attractive centres over repulsive ones. A pinning mechanism is proposed to account for the contribution of this type of pinning centre in MgB 2 superconductors. (rapid communication)

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

MgB2 thin films by hybrid physical-chemical vapor deposition

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Xi, X.X.; Pogrebnyakov, A.V.; Xu, S.Y.; Chen, K.; Cui, Y.; Maertz, E.C.; Zhuang, C.G.; Li, Qi; Lamborn, D.R.; Redwing, J.M.; Liu, Z.K.; Soukiassian, A.; Schlom, D.G.; Weng, X.J.; Dickey, E.C.; Chen, Y.B.; Tian, W.; Pan, X.Q.; Cybart, S.A.; Dynes, R.C.

2007-01-01

Hybrid physical-chemical vapor deposition (HPCVD) has been the most effective technique for depositing MgB 2 thin films. It generates high magnesium vapor pressures and provides a clean environment for the growth of high purity MgB 2 films. The epitaxial pure MgB 2 films grown by HPCVD show higher-than-bulk T c due to tensile strain in the films. The HPCVD films are the cleanest MgB 2 materials reported, allowing basic research, such as on magnetoresistance, that reveals the two-band nature of MgB 2 . The carbon-alloyed HPCVD films demonstrate record-high H c2 values promising for high magnetic field applications. The HPCVD films and multilayers have enabled the fabrication of high quality MgB 2 Josephson junctions

Application of superconducting magnesium diboride (MGB2) in superconducting radio frequency cavities

Science.gov (United States)

Tan, Teng

The superconductivity in magnesium diboride (MgB2) was discovered in 2001. As a BCS superconductor, MgB2 has a record-high Tc of 39 K, high Jc of > 107 A/cm2 and no weak link behavior across the grain boundary. All these superior properties endorsed that MgB2 would have great potential in both power applications and electronic devices. In the past 15 years, MgB2 based power cables, microwave devices, and commercial MRI machines emerged and the next frontier are superconducting radio frequency (SRF) cavities. SRF cavities are one of the leading accelerator technologies. In SRF cavities, applied microwave power generates electrical fields that accelerate particle beams. Compared with other accelerator techniques, SRF cavity accelerators feature low loss, high acceleration gradients and the ability to accelerate continuous particle beams. However, current SRF cavities are made from high-purity bulk niobium and work at 2 K in superfluid helium. The construction and operational cost of SRF cavity accelerators are very expensive. The demand for SRF cavity accelerators has been growing rapidly in the past decade. Therefore, a lot of effort has been devoted to the enhancement of the performance and the reduction of cost of SRF cavities. In 2010, an acceleration gradient of over 50 MV/m has been reported for a Nb-based SRF cavity. The magnetic field at the inner surface of such a cavity is ~ 1700 Oe, which is close to the thermodynamic critical field of Nb. Therefore, new materials and technologies are required to raise the acceleration gradient of future SRF cavity accelerators. Among all the proposed approaches, using MgB2 thin films to coat the inner surface of SRF cavities is one of the promising tactics with the potential to raise both the acceleration gradient and the operation temperature of SRF cavity accelerators. In this work, I present my study on MgB2 thin films for their application in SRF cavities. C-epitaxial MgB2 thin films grown on SiC(0001) substrates

Large-scale high-resolution scanning Hall probe microscope used for MgB2 filament characterization

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Cambel, V; Fedor, J; Gregusova, D; Kovac, P; Husek, I

2005-01-01

The scanning Hall probe microscope (SHPM) is an important imaging tool used for detailed studies of superconductors in basic science as well as in the industrial sector. It can be used for the studies of losses, current distribution, and effects at grain boundaries. However, only a few SHPMs for magnetic field imaging at temperatures below 77 K have been proposed up to now, most of them designed for small-area (∼10x10 μm 2 ) scanning. We present a large-scale low-temperature SHPM developed for imaging the entire magnetic field in close proximity to magnetic and superconducting samples at 4.2-300 K. The microscope combines a large scanned area and high spatial and magnetic field resolution. The instrument is designed as an insert of standard helium flowing cryostats. The Hall sensor scans an area up to 7 x 25 mm 2 in the whole temperature interval with a spatial resolution better than 5 μm. The presented system is used for the study of ex situ prepared MgB 2 filament. We show that external magnetic field induces local supercurrents in the MgB 2 , from which the critical current can be estimated. Moreover, it indicates the microstructure and space homogeneity of the superconductor

Relaxation and pinning in spark-plasma sintered MgB.sub.2./sub. superconductor

Czech Academy of Sciences Publication Activity Database

Jirsa, Miloš; Rameš, Michal; Koblischka, M.R.; Koblischka-Veneva, A.; Berger, K.; Douine, B.

2016-01-01

Roč. 29, č. 2 (2016), 1-7, č. článku 025006. ISSN 0953-2048 Institutional support: RVO:68378271 Keywords : bulk MgB 2 superconductor * magnetic properties * magnetic relaxation * critical currents * pinning force density Subject RIV: BM - Solid Matter Physics ; Magnetism Impact factor: 2.878, year: 2016

Measurement of the penetration depth and coherence length of MgB2 in all directions using transmission electron microscopy

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Loudon, J. C.; Yazdi, Sadegh; Kasama, Takeshi

2015-01-01

We demonstrate that images of flux vortices in a superconductor taken with a transmission electron microscope can be used to measure the penetration depth and coherence length in all directions at the same temperature and magnetic field. This is particularly useful for MgB2, where these quantities...... vary with the applied magnetic field and values are difficult to obtain at low field or in the c direction. We obtained images of flux vortices from a MgB2 single crystal cut in the ac plane by focused ion beam milling and tilted to 45 degrees. with respect to the electron beam about...... the crystallographic a axis. A new method was developed to simulate these images that accounted for vortices with a nonzero core in a thin, anisotropic superconductor and a simplex algorithm was used to make a quantitative comparison between the images and simulations to measure the penetration depths and coherence...

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.

Automatic development of normal zone in composite MgB2/CuNi wires with different diameters

Science.gov (United States)

Jokinen, A.; Kajikawa, K.; Takahashi, M.; Okada, M.

2010-06-01

One of the promising applications with superconducting technology for hydrogen utilization is a sensor with a magnesium-diboride (MgB2) superconductor to detect the position of boundary between the liquid hydrogen and the evaporated gas stored in a Dewar vessel. In our previous experiment for the level sensor, the normal zone has been automatically developed and therefore any energy input with the heater has not been required for normal operation. Although the physical mechanism for such a property of the MgB2 wire has not been clarified yet, the deliberate application might lead to the realization of a simpler superconducting level sensor without heater system. In the present study, the automatic development of normal zone with increasing a transport current is evaluated for samples consisting of three kinds of MgB2 wires with CuNi sheath and different diameters immersed in liquid helium. The influences of the repeats of current excitation and heat cycle on the normal zone development are discussed experimentally. The aim of this paper is to confirm the suitability of MgB2 wire in a heater free level sensor application. This could lead to even more optimized design of the liquid hydrogen level sensor and the removal of extra heater input.

Stabilization of the dissipation-free current transport in inhomogeneous MgB2 thin films

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Treiber, S.; Stahl, C.; Schütz, G.; Soltan, S.; Albrecht, J.

2014-01-01

Highlights: • We investigate transport properties of inhomogeneous MgB 2 films. • An inhomogeneous microstructure stabilizes supercurrents. • Vortex pinning forces and energies have been analyzed experimentally. • In inhomogeneous films the increase of the pinning energy is responsible for stable supercurrents. - Abstract: In type-II superconductors at T = 0 the critical current density is determined by the pinning of flux lines. Considering an arbitrarily shaped energy landscape the pinning force at each pinning site is given by the derivative of the flux line energy with respect to the considered direction. At finite temperatures, in addition, thermal activation can lead to a depinning of flux lines. The governing property in this case is the depth of the corresponding pinning potential, i.e. the pinning energy. We show a detailed analysis of both pinning forces and pinning energies of MgB 2 films with inhomogeneous microstructure. We show that a pronounced increase of the pinning energy is responsible for the significantly enhanced stability of the dissipation-free current transport in thin inhomogeneous MgB 2 films. This is found even if the corresponding pinning forces are small

Quench Property of Twisted-Pair MgB$_2$ Superconducting Cables in Helium Gas

CERN Document Server

Spurrell, J; Falorio, I; Pelegrin, J; Ballarino, A; Yang, Y

2015-01-01

CERN's twisted-pair superconducting cable is a novel design which offers filament transposition, low cable inductance and is particularly suited for tape conductors such as 2G YBCO coated conductors, Ag-sheathed Bi2223 tapes and Ni/Monel-sheathed MgB2 tapes. A typical design of such twistedpair cables consists of multiple superconducting tapes intercalated with thin copper tapes as additional stabilizers. The copper tapes are typically not soldered to the superconducting tapes so that sufficient flexibility is retained for the twisting of the tape assembly. The electrical and thermal contacts between the copper and superconducting tapes are an important parameter for current sharing, cryogenic stability and quench propagation. Using an MgB2 twisted-pair cable assembly manufactured at CERN, we have carried out minimum quench energy (MQE) and propagation velocity (vp) measurements with point-like heat deposition localized within a tape. Furthermore, different contacts between the copper and superconductor aroun...

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.

Energy-gap spectroscopy of superconductors using a tunneling microscope

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Le Duc, H.G.; Kaiser, W.J.; Stern, J.A.

1987-01-01

A unique scanning tunneling microscope (STM) system has been developed for spectroscopy of the superconducting energy gap. High-resolution control of tunnel current and voltage allows for measurement of superconducting properties at tunnel resistance levels 10 2 --10 3 greater than that achieved in prior work. The previously used STM methods for superconductor spectroscopy are compared to those developed for the work reported here. Superconducting energy-gap spectra are reported for three superconductors, Pb, PbBi, and NbN, over a range of tunnel resistance. The measured spectra are compared directly to theory

The mechanism of Tc performance for Zn doped MgB2 sintered in magnetic field

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Li, W.X.; Li, Y.; Chen, R.H.; Zeng, R.; Dou, S.X.

2010-01-01

The mechanism of magnetic field sintering on the critical transition temperature, T c , for the Zn doped MgB 2 superconductor was investigated with the observation of Raman scattering measurement and the Raman spectra fit analysis. The broadened E 2g mode in Raman spectra shows the strengthening of the electron-phonon coupling (EPC) for the sample sintered in magnetic field. A synchronous fluctuation is observed between the Raman characters of the E 2g mode and the T c .

Contribution to the development of dry R and W MgB2 superconducting magnets

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Pasquet, Raphael

2015-01-01

Currently, the majority of superconducting magnets, including MRI, are cooled by a bath of liquid helium at atmospheric pressure. Nevertheless, this type of cooling is expensive and imposes significant security constraints for large volumes. For these reasons, the cooling of superconducting magnets is desirable without liquid helium. Cryo-cooler provides dry cooling to 4 K without any liquid helium. However, the power available is low and dry cooling is difficult. In these conditions, it is complicate to use NbTi with dry cooling. But if we increase the operating temperature to 10 K, the power of cryo-cooler increases by a factor of ten. Nevertheless in this case, it is necessary to use of a high critical temperature superconductor. We choose to use MgB 2 R and W conductors because it is relatively low cost but it has the handicap to be sensible at mechanical stress. It is therefore necessary to be careful during their winding to not degrade their superconducting performance. As part of this thesis, we have developed a dry test facility to measure the critical current of MgB 2 R and W conductors as well as mock-ups. To do this, a new type of thermal contact based on aluminum nitride has been developed. In addition to this development, we designed two MgB 2 R and W magnet mock-ups: a solenoid and a double pancake. The double pancake was manufactured (with a new patented winding method) and it has been successfully tested. (author) [fr

Physical properties in flux line lattice state in MgB2 probed by μSR

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Ohishi, Kazuki; Muranaka, Takahiro; Akimitsu, Jun; Koda, Akihiro; Higemoto, Wataru; Kadono, Ryosuke

2002-01-01

We have performed muon spin rotation (μSR) measurements to deduce the magnetic penetration depth λ in the flux line lattice state of MgB 2 microscopically. It is observed that λ shows a quadratic temperature dependence which is predicted for the case of superconducting gap with line nodes. Furthermore, it clearly exhibits a strong field dependence, where λ increases almost linearly with H. These results strongly suggest that the superconducting order parameter in MgB 2 is highly anisotropic. (author)

Hard gap in epitaxial semiconductor-superconductor nanowires

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Chang, W.; Albrecht, S. M.; Jespersen, T. S.

2015-01-01

a continuum of subgap states---a situation that nullifies topological protection. Here, we report a hard superconducting gap induced by proximity effect in a semiconductor, using epitaxial Al-InAs superconductor-semiconductor nanowires. The hard gap, along with favorable material properties and gate...

Nanostructure characterization of Ni and B layers as artificial pinning centers in multilayered MgB2/Ni and MgB2/B superconducting thin films

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Sosiati, H.; Hata, S.; Doi, T.; Matsumoto, A.; Kitaguchi, H.; Nakashima, H.

2013-01-01

Highlights: ► Nanostructure characterization of Ni and B layers as artificial pinning centers (APCs). ► Relationship between nanostructure and J c property. ► Enhanced J c in parallel field by parallel APCs within the MgB 2 film. -- Abstract: Research on the MgB 2 /Ni and MgB 2 /B multilayer films fabricated by an electron beam (EB) evaporation technique have been extensively carried out. The critical current density, J c of MgB 2 /Ni and MgB 2 /B multilayer films in parallel fields has been suggested to be higher than that of monolayer MgB 2 film due to introducing the artificial pinning centers of nano-sized Ni and B layers. Nanostructure characterization of the artificial pinning centers in the multilayer films were examined by transmission electron microscopy (TEM) and scanning TEM (STEM-energy dispersive X-ray spectroscopy (STEM-EDS))–EDS to understand the mechanism of flux pinning. The growth of columnar MgB 2 grains along the film-thickness direction was recognized in the MgB 2 /Ni multilayer film, but not in the MgB 2 /B multilayer film. Nano-sized Ni layers were present as crystalline epitaxial layers which is interpreted that Ni atoms might be incorporated into the MgB 2 lattice to form (Mg,Ni)B 2 phase. On the other hand, nano-sized B layers were amorphous layers. Crystalline (Mg,Ni)B 2 layers worked more effectively than amorphous B-layers, providing higher flux-pinning force that resulted in higher J c of the MgB 2 /Ni multilayer film than the MgB 2 /B multilayer film

Evolution of the two-gap nature revealed in the upper critical field of Mg1-xAlxB2

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Kim, Heon-Jung; Lee, Hyun-Sook; Park, Min-Seok; Lee, H.-G.; Jo, Younghun; Jung, Myung-Hwa; Lee, Sung-Ik; Kang, Byeongwon

2007-01-01

The temperature and the angular dependences of the upper critical field [H c2 (T,θ)] of Mg 1-x Al x B 2 single crystals (x=0.12 and 0.21) were studied. The H c2 (T,θ) was found to be well described by the dirty-limit two-gap theory. A quantitative comparison of the data with this theory indicated that Mg 1-x Al x B 2 single crystals preserved the two-gap nature but became dirtier. We also found that as the Al concentration was increased, anisotropic impurity scattering increased, making the σ bands less anisotropic. In addition, these results are compared with those of 10% C-doped MgB 2 single crystals

A new approach to MgB2 superconducting magnet fabrication

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Miyazoe, A; Ando, T; Wada, H; Abe, H; Hirota, N; Sekino, M

2008-01-01

Fabrication of MgB 2 -based superconducting magnets has been attempted by a new approach using film coated on symmetric tubes. Superconducting MgB 2 films have been prepared on iron substrates by electroplating in molten electrolytes. The critical current (I c ) of the MgB 2 electroplating films at 4.2 K and at self-field was 15 A on the basis of 1 μV/cm of I c criterion. A model calculation has shown that MgB 2 -based superconducting magnets based on MgB 2 electroplating films have the potential to generate magnetic fields over 0.5 T

Field cooling of a MgB2 cylinder around a permanent magnet stack: prototype for superconductive magnetic bearing

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Perini, E; Giunchi, G

2009-01-01

The behaviour of bulk superconductors as levitators of permanent magnets (PMs) has been extensively studied for the textured YBCO high-temperature superconductor material, in the temperature range lower than 77 K, obtaining extremely high trapped fields but also experiencing limitations on the mechanical characteristics of the material and on the possibility to produce large objects. Alternatively, bulk MgB 2 , even if it is superconducting at lower temperatures, has fewer mechanical problems, when fully densified, and presents stable magnetization in the temperature range between 10 and 30 K. With the reactive Mg-liquid infiltration technique we have produced dense MgB 2 bulk cylinders of up to 65 mm diameter and 100 mm height. This kind of cylinder can be consider as a prototype of a passive magnetic bearing for flywheels or other rotating electrical machines. We have conductively cooled one of these superconducting cylinders inside a specially constructed cryostat, and the levitation forces and stiffness, with respect to axial movements of various arrangements of the PM, have been measured as a function of the temperature below T c . We verified the very stable characteristics of the induced magnetization after several cycles of relative movements of the PM and the superconducting cylinder.

Effect of Interband Interaction on Isotope Effect Coefficient of Mg B2 Superconductors

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Udomsamuthirun, P.; Kumvongsa, C.; Burakorn, A.; Changkanarth, P.; Maneeratanakul, S.

2005-10-01

In this research, the exact formula of Tc s equation and the isotope effect coefficient of two-band s-wave superconductors in weak-coupling limit are derived by considering the influence of interband interaction .In each band ,our model consist of two paring interactions : the electron-phonon interaction and non-electron-phonon interaction . According to the numerical calculation, we find that the isotope effect coefficient of MgB 2 , α=3 . 0 with T c 40 K can be found in the weak coupling regime and interband interaction of electron-phonon show more effect on isotope effect coefficient than interband interaction of non-phonon-electron

Scanning tunneling spectroscopy on neutron irradiated MgB2 thin films

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Di Capua, Roberto; Salluzzo, Marco; Vaglio, Ruggero; Ferdeghini, Carlo; Ferrando, Valeria; Putti, Marina; Xi Xiaoxing; Aebersold, Hans U.

2007-01-01

Neutron irradiation was performed on MgB 2 thin films grown by hybrid physical chemical vapor deposition. Samples irradiated with different neutron fluences, having different critical temperatures, were studied by scanning tunneling spectroscopy in order to investigate the effect of the introduced disorder on the superconducting and spectroscopic properties. A monotonic increase of the π gap with increasing disorder was found

On heavy carbon doping of MgB2

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Kasinathan, Deepa; Lee, K.-W.; Pickett, W.E.

2005-01-01

Heavy carbon doping of MgB 2 is studied by first principles electronic structure studies of two types, an ordered supercell (Mg(B 1-x C x ) 2 , x 0.0833) and also the coherent potential approximation method that incorporates effects of B-C disorder. For the ordered model, the twofold degenerate σ-bands that are the basis of the high temperature superconductivity are split by 60 meV (i.e. 7 meV/% C) and the σ Fermi cylinders contain 0.070 holes/cell, compared to 0.11 for MgB 2 . A virtual crystal treatment tends to overestimate the rate at which σ holes are filled by substitutional carbon. The coherent potential approximation (CPA) calculations give the same rate of band filling as the supercell method. The occupied local density of states of C is almost identical to that of B in the upper 2 eV of the valence bands, but in the range -8 eV to -2 eV, C has a considerably larger density of states. The calculations indicate that the σ Fermi surface cylinders pinch off at the zone center only above the maximum C concentration x ∼ 0.10. These results indicate that Mg(B 1-x C x ) 2 as well as Mg 1-x Al x B 2 is a good system in which to study the evolution of the unusual electron-phonon coupling character and strength as the crucial σ hole states are filled

Properties of stabilized MgB2 composite wire with Ti barrier

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Kovac, P; Husek, I; Melisek, T; Holubek, T

2007-01-01

Stabilized four-filament in situ MgB 2 /Ti/Cu/Monel composite wire was produced by the rectangular wire-in-tube (RWIT) technique. 10 wt% of nanosize SiC was added into the Mg-B powder mixture, which was packed into the Ti/Cu and Monel tubes, respectively. The assembled composite was two-axially rolled into wire and/or tape form and sintered at temperatures of 650-850 deg. C/0.5 h. Stabilized MgB 2 wire with Ti barrier is studied in terms of field-dependent transport critical current density, effects of filament size reduction and thermal stability

Design study of a 10 MW MgB2 superconductor direct drive wind turbine generator

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Abrahamsen, Asger Bech; Magnusson, Niklas; Liu, Dong

2014-01-01

A design study of a 10 MW direct drive wind turbine generator based on MgB2 superconducting wires is presented and the cost of the active materials of the generator is estimated to be between 226 €/kW and 84 €/kw, which is lower than the threshold values of 300 €/kW of the INNWIND.EU project. A n...

Two-gap superconductivity with line nodes in CsCa2Fe4As4F2

Science.gov (United States)

Kirschner, Franziska K. K.; Adroja, Devashibhai T.; Wang, Zhi-Cheng; Lang, Franz; Smidman, Michael; Baker, Peter J.; Cao, Guang-Han; Blundell, Stephen J.

2018-02-01

We report the results of a muon-spin rotation (μ SR ) experiment to determine the superconducting ground state of the iron-based superconductor CsCa2Fe4As4F2 with Tc≈28.3 K . This compound is related to the fully gapped superconductor CaCsFe4As4 , but here the Ca-containing spacer layer is replaced with one containing Ca2F2 . The temperature evolution of the penetration depth strongly suggests the presence of line nodes and is best modeled by a system consisting of both an s - and a d -wave gap. We also find a potentially magnetic phase which appears below ≈10 K but does not appear to compete with the superconductivity. This compound contains the largest alkali atom in this family of superconductors, and our results yield a value for the in-plane penetration depth of λa b(T =0 ) =244 (3 ) nm .

Critical Current and Stability of MgB$_2$ Twisted-Pair DC Cable Assembly Cooled by Helium Gas

CERN Document Server

AUTHOR|(CDS)2069632; Ballarino, Amalia; Yang, Yifeng; Young, Edward Andrew; Bailey, Wendell; Beduz, Carlo

2013-01-01

Long length superconducting cables/bus-bars cooled by cryogenic gases such as helium operating over a wider temperature range are a challenging but exciting technical development prospects, with applications ranging from super-grid transmission to future accelerator systems. With limited existing knowledge and previous experiences, the cryogenic stability and quench protection of such cables are crucial research areas because the heat transfer is reduced and temperature gradient increased compared to liquid cryogen cooled cables. V-I measurements on gas-cooled cables over a significant length are an essential step towards a fully cryogenic stabilized cable with adequate quench protection. Prototype twisted-pair cables using high-temperature superconductor and MgB2 tapes have been under development at CERN within the FP7 EuCARD project. Experimental studies have been carried out on a 5-m-long multiple MgB$_2$ cable assembly at different temperatures between 20 and 30 K. The subcables of the assembly showed sim...

Formation of nanocrystalline MgB sub 2 under high pressure

CERN Document Server

Sun, L; Kikegawa, T; Cao, L; Zhan, Z; Wu, Q; Wu, X; Wang, W

2002-01-01

The microstructural features of MgB sub 2 at ambient pressure and high pressure have been investigated by means of in situ synchrotron radiation x-ray diffraction and transmission electron microscopy (TEM). The x-ray diffraction measurements indicated that nanocrystalline MgB sub 2 formed in the pressure range of 26.3-30.2 GPa. TEM investigations reveal complex structure domains with evident lattice distortion in the relevant samples. The superconductivity of nanocrystalline MgB sub 2 was measured and compared with that of the starting sample of MgB sub 2.

Preparation of high quality superconducting thin MgB2 films for electronics

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Surdu, Andrei; Zdravkov, Vladimir; Sidorenko, Anatolie; Rossolenko, Anna; Ryazanov, Valerii; Bdikin, Igor; Kroemer, Oliver; Nold, Eberhard; Koch, Thomas; Schimmel, Thomas

2007-01-01

In this work we report the growth of high-Tc MgB 2 smooth films which are prepared in a two-step process: 1) deposition of the precursor films and 2) their annealing in Mg vapor with a specially designed, reusable reactor. Our method opens perspectives for the use of MgB 2 films in microelectronics, especially for high-frequency applications. (authors)

Electrical, Structural and Mechanical Properties of Superconducting MGB2/MG Composites

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Ulucan, S.

2004-01-01

The brittle nature of MgB 2 does not allow this material to be used as a stand-alone material for large scale applications based on wire production. MgB 2 /Mg composites were prepared using metal matrix composite fabrication technique. To obtain composites MgB 2 and Mg powders were mixed at different weight fractions and uniaxially pressed in a cylindrical dye under the pressure of 0.5 GPa and 1.0 GPa for two hours at various temperatures. XRD, SEM and EDX techniques were used for phase identification and microstructural studies. Resistivities of the composites were measured between 20 K and room temperature. The effect of temperature on the mechanical properties of MgB 2 /Mg composites was investigated. For this purpose, compressive mechanical testing was performed to measure elastic modulus and strain at failure values of the composites. It was found that the relative weight fraction of the powders and the temperature have same considerable effect on the electrical, microstructural and the mechanical properties of the composites

Nanoparticles of the superconductor MgB2: structural characterization and in situ study of synthesis kinetics

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Cui Chunxiang; Liu Debao; Shen Yutian; Sun Jinbin; Meng Fanbin; Wang Ru; Liu Shuangjin; Greer, A.L.; Chen, S.K.; Glowacki, B.A.

2004-01-01

Single-crystal MgB 2 nanoparticles, with diameters in the range 20-100 nm, have been synthesized in situ in the sample chamber of an X-ray diffractometer. The reaction kinetics are analyzed and related to the atomic-level structure of the particles as observed by high-resolution electron microscopy. Synthesis conditions may have a significant influence on microstructure and superconducting properties

An innovative technique to synthesize C-doped MgB2 by using chitosan as the carbon source

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Bovone, G; Kawale, S; Siri, A S; Vignolo, M; Bernini, C

2014-01-01

Here, we report a new technique to synthesize carbon-doped MgB 2 powder. Chitosan was innovatively used as the carbon source during the synthesis of boron from boron oxide. This allowed the introduction of local defects, which later on served as pinning centers in MgB 2 , in the boron lattice itself, avoiding the traditional and time consuming ways of ex situ MgB 2 doping (e.g. ball milling). Two volume percentages of C-doping have been tried and its effect on the superconducting properties, evaluated by magnetic and transport measurements, are discussed here. Morphological analysis by scanning electron microscopy revealed nano-metric grains’ distribution in the boron and MgB 2 powder. Mono-filamentary MgB 2 wires have been fabricated by an ex situ powder-in-tube technique by using the thus prepared carbon-doped MgB 2 and pure MgB 2 powders. Transport property measurements on these wires were made and compared with MgB 2 wire produced using commercial boron. (fast track communication)

Ginzburg-Landau theory of the superheating field anisotropy of layered superconductors

Science.gov (United States)

Liarte, Danilo B.; Transtrum, Mark K.; Sethna, James P.

2016-10-01

We investigate the effects of material anisotropy on the superheating field of layered superconductors. We provide an intuitive argument both for the existence of a superheating field, and its dependence on anisotropy, for κ =λ /ξ (the ratio of magnetic to superconducting healing lengths) both large and small. On the one hand, the combination of our estimates with published results using a two-gap model for MgB2 suggests high anisotropy of the superheating field near zero temperature. On the other hand, within Ginzburg-Landau theory for a single gap, we see that the superheating field shows significant anisotropy only when the crystal anisotropy is large and the Ginzburg-Landau parameter κ is small. We then conclude that only small anisotropies in the superheating field are expected for typical unconventional superconductors near the critical temperature. Using a generalized form of Ginzburg Landau theory, we do a quantitative calculation for the anisotropic superheating field by mapping the problem to the isotropic case, and present a phase diagram in terms of anisotropy and κ , showing type I, type II, or mixed behavior (within Ginzburg-Landau theory), and regions where each asymptotic solution is expected. We estimate anisotropies for a number of different materials, and discuss the importance of these results for radio-frequency cavities for particle accelerators.

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.

Connection between in-plane upper critical field Hc 2 and gap symmetry in layered d -wave superconductors

Science.gov (United States)

Wang, Jing-Rong; Liu, Guo-Zhu; Zhang, Chang-Jin

2016-07-01

Angle-resolved upper critical field Hc 2 provides an efficient tool to probe the gap symmetry of unconventional superconductors. We revisit the behavior of in-plane Hc 2 in d -wave superconductors by considering both the orbital effect and Pauli paramagnetic effect. After carrying out systematic analysis, we show that the maxima of Hc 2 could be along either nodal or antinodal directions of a d -wave superconducting gap, depending on the specific values of a number of tuning parameters. This behavior is in contrast to the common belief that the maxima of in-plane Hc 2 are along the direction where the superconducting gap takes its maximal value. Therefore, identifying the precise d -wave gap symmetry through fitting experiments results of angle-resolved Hc 2 with model calculations at a fixed temperature, as widely used in previous studies, is difficult and practically unreliable. However, our extensive analysis of angle-resolved Hc 2 show that there is a critical temperature T*: in-plane Hc 2 exhibits its maxima along nodal directions at T change as other parameters vary, but the existence of π /4 shift of Hc 2 at T* appears to be a general feature. Thus a better method to identify the precise d -wave gap symmetry is to measure Hc 2 at a number of different temperatures, and examine whether there is a π /4 shift in its angular dependence at certain T*. We further show that Landau level mixing does not change this general feature. However, in the presence of Fulde-Ferrell-Larkin-Ovchinnikov state, the angular dependence of Hc 2 becomes quite complicated, which makes it more difficult to determine the gap symmetry by measuring Hc 2. Our results indicate that some previous studies on the gap symmetry of CeCu2Si2 are unreliable and need to be reexamined, and also provide a candidate solution to an experimental discrepancy in the angle-resolved Hc 2 in CeCoIn5.

Microwave surface impedance of MgB2 thin film

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Jin, B B; Klein, N; Kang, W N; Kim, Hyeong-Jin; Choi, Eun-Mi; Lee, Sung-I K; Dahm, T; Maki, K

2003-01-01

The microwave surface impedance Z s = R s + jωμ 0 λ was measured with dielectric resonator techniques for two c-axis-oriented MgB 2 thin films. The temperature dependence of the penetration depth λ measured with a sapphire resonator at 17.93 GHz can be well fitted from 5 K close to T c by the standard BCS integral expression assuming the reduced energy gap Δ(0)/kT c to be as low as 1.13 and 1.03 for the two samples. From these fits the penetration depth at zero temperatures was determined to be 102 nm and 107 nm, respectively. The results clearly indicate the s-wave nature of the order parameter. The temperature dependence of surface resistance R s , measured with a rutile dielectric resonator, shows an exponential behaviour below about T c /2 with a reduced energy gap being consistent with the one determined from the λ data. The R s value at 4.2 K was found to be as low as 19 μΩ at 7.2 GHz, which is comparable with that of a high-quality high-temperature thin film of YBa 2 Cu 3 O 7 . A higher-order mode at 17.9 GHz was employed to determine the frequency f dependence of R s ∝ f n(T) . Our results revealed a decrease of n with increasing temperature ranging from n = 2 below 8 K to n 1 from 13 to 34 K

Effect of nano-carbon particle doping on the flux pinning properties of MgB2 superconductor

OpenAIRE

Soltanian, S.; Horvat, J.; Wang, X. L.; Munroe, P.; Dou, S. X.

2003-01-01

Polycrystalline MgB2-xCx samples with x=0.05, 0.1, 0.2, 0.3, 0.4 nano-particle carbon powder were prepared using an in-situ reaction method under well controlled conditions to limit the extent of C substitution. The phases, lattice parameters, microstructures, superconductivity and flux pinning were characterized by XRD, TEM, and magnetic measurements. It was found that both the a-axis lattice parameter and the Tc decreased monotonically with increasing doping level. For the sample doped with...

Structural and electronic properties of superconductor MgB sub 2 under high pressure

CERN Document Server

Tang, J; Gu, H W; Matsushita, A; Takano, Y; Togano, K; Kito, H; Ihara, H

2002-01-01

The superconductivity and the lattice properties of a sintered MgB sub 2 material have been investigated under high pressure up to 10 GPa. The transition temperature was found to decrease linearly with increasing hydrostatic pressure at a rate of 1.03 K GPa sup - sup 1 , which can be explained with the classical Bardeen-Cooper-Shrieffer theory based on an electron-phonon coupling mechanism. The crystal lattice exhibits an anisotropic compressibility characterized by a larger compressibility along the c-direction than the a/b-directions. The anisotropy is attributed to a weaker inter-plane bonding along the c-axis in comparison with a stronger intra-plane bonding perpendicular to the c-axis. The bulk modulus of the measured material was deduced to be 172 GPa.

Pulse laser irradiation into superconducting MgB2 detector

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Fujiwara, Daisuke; Miki, Shigehito; Satoh, Kazuo; Yotsuya, Tsutomu; Shimakage, Hisashi; Wang, Zhen; Okayasu, Satoru; Katagiri, Masaki; Machida, Masahiko; Kato, Masaru; Ishida, Takekazu

2005-01-01

We performed 20-ps pulse laser irradiation experiments on a MgB 2 neutron detector to know a thermal-relaxation process for designing a MgB 2 neutron detector. The membrane-type structured MgB 2 device was fabricated to minimize the heat capacity of sensing part of a detector as well as to enhance its sensitivity. We successfully observed a thermal-relaxation signal resulting from pulse laser irradiation by developing a detection circuit. The response time was faster than 1 μs, meaning that the detector would be capable of counting neutrons at a rate of more than 10 6 events per second

Potential of MgB₂ superconductors in direct drive generators for wind turbines

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Abrahamsen, Asger Bech; Liu, Dong; Magnusson, Niklas

2015-01-01

Topologies of superconducting direct drive wind turbine generators are based on a combination of superconducting wires wound into field coils, copper armature windings, steel laminates to shape the magnetic flux density and finally structural materials as support. But what is the most optimal...... by using the current cost of 4 €/m for the MgB2 wire from Columbus Superconductors and also a possible future cost of 1 €/m if a superconducting offshore wind power capacity of 10 GW has been introduced by 2030 as suggested in a roadmap. The obtained topologies are compared to what is expected from...... a permanent magnet direct drive generators and the further development directions are discussed. Finally an experimental INNWIND.EU demonstration showing that the current commercial MgB2 wires can be wound into functional field coils for wind turbine generators is discussed....

MgB2 thick films on three-dimensional structures fabricated by HPCVD

Science.gov (United States)

Guo, Zhengshan; Cai, Xingwei; Liao, Xuebin; Chen, Yiling; Yang, Can; Niu, Ruirui; Luo, Wenhao; Huang, Zigeng; Feng, Qingrong; Gan, Zizhao

2018-06-01

Magnetic shielding has been a key factor in the measurement of ultra-weak magnetic fields, especially for shielding from low frequency electromagnetic noise. With the recent development of superconducting quantum interference devices, superconducting magnetic shielding has become an important area of research. MgB2 has shown great potential in magnetic shielding for its remarkable superconducting properties, the feasibility of its use in this capacity having been demonstrated by MgB2 bulk samples. However, the potential for application of such bulk samples is limited. In this work, we have investigated the possibility of the fabrication of MgB2 films on three-dimensional (3D) structures using a hybrid physical‑chemical vapor deposition system. MgB2 films 10 μm thick have been fabricated on the outer surface of a polycrystalline Al2O3 cylinder. The deposited film showed a transition temperature (TC) of 39 K and J C of 5.1 × 105 A · cm‑2, which are comparable to those of planar MgB2 films. This work shows the feasibility of depositing MgB2 films onto a 3D structure, and sheds light on the potential use of MgB2 films in superconducting magnetic shielding.

Mechanically activated self-propagated high-temperature synthesis of nanometer-structured MgB2

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Radev, D.D.; Marinov, M.; Tumbalev, V.; Radev, I.; Konstantinov, L.

2005-01-01

Nanometer-sized MgB 2 was prepared via a two-step modification of the mechanically activated self-propagated high-temperature synthesis. The experimental conditions and some structural and phase characteristics of the synthesized product are reported. It is shown that a single-phase material can be prepared after 2 h of intense mechanical treatment of the starting magnesium and boron powders and a synthesis induced at a current-pulse density of 30 A cm -2 . The average size of MgB 2 particles synthesized in this way is 70-80 nm. It is also shown that using the same reagents and the 'classic' high-temperature interaction at 850 deg C with a protective atmosphere of pure Ar, mean particle size of the MgB 2 obtained is 50 μm

Spontaneous symmetry breaking in vortex systems with two repulsive lengthscales.

Science.gov (United States)

Curran, P J; Desoky, W M; Milosević, M V; Chaves, A; Laloë, J-B; Moodera, J S; Bending, S J

2015-10-23

Scanning Hall probe microscopy (SHPM) has been used to study vortex structures in thin epitaxial films of the superconductor MgB2. Unusual vortex patterns observed in MgB2 single crystals have previously been attributed to a competition between short-range repulsive and long-range attractive vortex-vortex interactions in this two band superconductor; the type 1.5 superconductivity scenario. Our films have much higher levels of disorder than bulk single crystals and therefore both superconducting condensates are expected to be pushed deep into the type 2 regime with purely repulsive vortex interactions. We observe broken symmetry vortex patterns at low fields in all samples after field-cooling from above Tc. These are consistent with those seen in systems with competing repulsions on disparate length scales, and remarkably similar structures are reproduced in dirty two band Ginzburg-Landau calculations, where the simulation parameters have been defined by experimental observations. This suggests that in our dirty MgB2 films, the symmetry of the vortex structures is broken by the presence of vortex repulsions with two different lengthscales, originating from the two distinct superconducting condensates. This represents an entirely new mechanism for spontaneous symmetry breaking in systems of superconducting vortices, with important implications for pinning phenomena and high current density applications.

Experimental Set-Up for Evaluation of Electro-Magnetic Characteristics of High-Tc Superconductors Cooled by Liquid Hydrogen

OpenAIRE

Shirai, Yasuyuki; Hikawa, Kyosuke; Shiotsu, Masahiro; Tatsumoto, Hideki; Hata, Koichi; Kobayashi, Hiroaki; Nonaka, Satoshi; Naruo, Yoshihiro; Inatani, Yoshifumi

2013-01-01

Liquid hydrogen (LH2) has excellent properties as a coolant, such as large latent heat, low viscosity coefficient, etc. Not only MgB2 but also other high-Tc superconductors are expected to have excellent properties when cooled by LH2. It is necessary for a stability design of a high-Tc superconductor cooled by LH2 to make an electro-magnetic characteristic clear. However, due to the handling difficulties of LH2, there are only few papers on the properties of LH2-cooled superconductors, especi...

MgB2 superconducting wires basics and applications

CERN Document Server

2016-01-01

The compendium gives a complete overview of the properties of MgB2 (Magnesium Diboride), a superconducting compound with a transition temperature of Tc = 39K, from the fundamental properties to the fabrication of multifilamentary wires and to the presentation of various applications. Written by eminent researchers in the field, this indispensable volume not only discusses superconducting properties of MgB2 compounds, but also describes known preparation methods of thin films and of bulk samples obtained under high pressure methods. A unique selling point of the book is the detailed coverage of various applications based on MgB2, starting with MRI magnets and high current cables, cooled by Helium (He) vapor. High current cables cooled by liquid hydrogen are also highlighted as an interesting alternative due to the shrinking He reserves on earth. Other pertinent subjects comprise permanent magnets, ultrafine wires for space applications and wind generator projects.

Unconventional Andreev reflection on the quasi-one-dimensional superconductor Nb2PdxSe5

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Yeping Jiang

2016-04-01

Full Text Available We have carried out Andreev reflection measurements on point contact junctions between normal metal and single crystals of the quasi-one-dimensional (Q1D superconductor Nb2PdxSe5 (Tc ∼ 5.5 K. The contacts of the junctions were made on either self-cleaved surfaces or crystal edges so that the current flow directions in the two types of junctions are different, and the measurements provide a directional probe for the order parameter of the superconductor. Junctions made in both configurations show typical resistances of ∼20-30 Ohms, and a clear double-gap Andreev reflection feature was consistently observed at low temperatures. Quantitative analysis of the conductance spectrum based on a modified Blonder-Tinkham-Klapwijk (BTK model suggests that the amplitudes of two order parameters may have angular dependence in the a-c plane. Moreover, the gap to transition temperature ratio (Δ/TC for the larger gap is substantially higher than the BCS ratio expected for phonon-mediated s-wave superconductors. We argue that the anisotropic superconducting order parameter and the extremely large gap to transition temperature ratio may be associated with an unconventional pairing mechanism in the inorganic Q1D superconductor.

Characterization of Mechanical Properties of MgB$_2$ Conductor for the Superconducting Link Project at CERN

CERN Document Server

Sugano, M; Bartova, B; Bjoerstad, R; Scheuerlein, C; Grasso, G

2015-01-01

In the framework of high luminosity upgrade of Large Hadron Collider at CERN, superconducting links are being developed. MgB2 wire is a candidate conductor for use in high-current cables. Mechanical properties of this material are of key importance for the definition of the cable design and operating conditions. In this study, we evaluated the Young's modulus of MgB2 filaments extracted from ex situ processed composite wires. The wires were produced in unit lengths of about 1 km and used in high-current cables. Single fiber tensile test was carried out on filaments composed of MgB2, Nb barrier, and Nb-Ni reaction layer. From the unloading modulus of filament specimens measured with different gauge lengths, the Young's modulus of composite filaments extracted from two different strands was determined to be 114 and 122 GPa at room temperature, respectively. By using the rule-of-mixture, the Young's modulus of MgB2 was estimated to be lower than that reported for highly dense MgB2 bulks. The reason for such diff...

Concurrent doping effect of Ti and nano-diamond on flux pinning of MgB2

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Zhao, Y.; Ke, C.; Cheng, C.H.; Feng, Y.; Yang, Y.; Munroe, P.

2010-01-01

Nano-diamond and titanium concurrently doped MgB 2 nanocomposites have been prepared by solid state reaction method. The effects of carbon and Ti concurrent doping on J c -H behavior and pinning force scaling features of MgB 2 have been investigated. Although T c was slightly depressed, J c of MgB 2 have been significantly improved by the nano-diamond doping, especially in the high field region. In the mean time, the J c value in low field region is sustained though concurrent Ti doping. Microstructure analysis reveals that when nano-diamond was concurrently doped with titanium in MgB 2 , a unique nanocomposite in which TiB 2 forms a thin layer surrounding MgB 2 grains whereas nano-diamond particles were wrapped inside the MgB 2 grains. Besides, nano-diamond doping results in a high density stress field in the MgB 2 samples, which may take responsibility for the Δκ pinning behavior in the carbon-doped MgB 2 system.

ESR spectrometer with a loop-gap resonator for cw and time resolved studies in a superconducting magnet.

Science.gov (United States)

Simon, Ferenc; Murányi, Ferenc

2005-04-01

The design and performance of an electron spin resonance spectrometer operating at 3 and 9 GHz microwave frequencies combined with a 9-T superconducting magnet are described. The probehead contains a compact two-loop, one gap resonator, and is inside the variable temperature insert of the magnet enabling measurements in the 0-9T magnetic field and 1.5-400 K temperature range. The spectrometer allows studies on systems where resonance occurs at fields far above the g approximately 2 paramagnetic condition such as in antiferromagnets. The low quality factor of the resonator allows time resolved experiments such as, e.g., longitudinally detected ESR. We demonstrate the performance of the spectrometer on the NaNiO2 antiferromagnet, the MgB2 superconductor, and the RbC60 conducting alkaline fulleride polymer.

Evaluations of MgB2 Coatings on 2'' Copper Discs for Superconducting Radio Frequency Applications

Science.gov (United States)

Withanage, Wenura; Tan, Teng; Lee, Namhoon; Banjade, Huta; Eremeev, Grigory; Welander, Paul; Valente-Feliciano, Anne-Marie; Kustom, Robert; Wolak, Matthäus; Nassiri, Alireza; Xi, Xiaoxing

We propose that coating the inner walls of copper RF cavities with superconducting MgB2 (Tc = 39 K) can result in a viable alternative to the already established niobium-based SRF technology. This approach improves the thermal conductivity, allows for operation at higher temperatures, and reduces the need for large helium refrigeration, thereby resulting in lower operational costs. For our studies, we grew MgB2 films via hybrid physical chemical vapor deposition (HPCVD) on 2'' Cu substrates. Since Mg and Cu readily form an alloy at higher temperatures, the HPCVD setup was modified in order to achieve lower deposition temperatures, minimize alloy formation, and provide high quality MgB2 films. This method yielded MgB2 coatings on 2'' Cu discs with transition temperatures around 38 K. The samples were characterized with regards to their RF attributes and showed similar performance in comparison to Nb reference samples. The presented results show that MgB2 coated copper can be a suitable alternative for use in SRF cavities.

Spin dynamics in the pseudo-gap state of a high-temperature superconductor

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Hinkov, V; Lin, C T; Chen, D P; Keimer, B [Max Planck Inst Solid State Res, D-70569 Stuttgart, (Germany); Bourges, P; Pailhes, S; Sidis, Y [CEA, CNRS, CE Saclay, Lab Leon Brillouin, F-91191 Gif Sur Yvette, (France); Ivanov, A [Inst Max Von Laue Paul Langevin, F-38042 Grenoble, (France); Frost, C D; Perring, T G [Rutherford Appleton Lab, ISIS Facil, Didcot OX11 0QX, Oxon, (United Kingdom)

2007-07-01

The pseudo-gap is one of the most pervasive phenomena of high-temperature superconductors. It is attributed either to incoherent Cooper pairing setting in above the superconducting transition temperature, Tc, or to a hidden order parameter competing with superconductivity. Here, we use inelastic neutron scattering from under-doped YBa{sub 2}Cu{sub 3}O{sub 6.6} to show that the dispersion relations of spin excitations in the superconducting and pseudo-gap states are qualitatively different. Specifically, the extensively studied 'hour glass' shape of the magnetic dispersions in the superconducting state is no longer discernible in the pseudo-gap state and we observe an unusual 'vertical' dispersion with pronounced in-plane anisotropy. The differences between superconducting and pseudo-gap states are thus more profound than generally believed, suggesting a competition between these two states. Whereas the high-energy excitations are common to both states and obey the symmetry of the copper oxide square lattice, the low-energy excitations in the pseudo-gap state may be indicative of collective fluctuations towards a state with broken orientational symmetry predicted in theoretical work. (authors)

Phthalocyanine doping to improve critical current densities in MgB2 tapes

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Zhang Xianping; Ma Yanwei; Wang Dongliang; Gao Zhaoshun; Wang Lei; Qi Yanpeng; Awaji, Satoshi; Watanabe, Kazuo; Mossang, Eric

2009-01-01

Phthalocyanine-doped MgB 2 tapes were prepared by the in situ powder-in-tube method. The relationships between the critical current properties, crystallinity and microstructure were studied as a function of the phthalocyanine doping level. It is found that both H irr and H c2 were improved when MgB 2 samples were doped with phthalocyanine, which are mainly attributed to the effective carbon substitution and enhanced flux pinning strength caused by very fine grain sizes. Furthermore, compared to pure samples, the MgO content remained almost unchanged in all doped tapes, which is very beneficial to having better grain connectivity in MgB 2 . Significantly improved J c was obtained in the phthalocyanine-doped MgB 2 tapes, especially under high magnetic fields.

Thermodynamics of many-band superconductors

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Waelte, A.

2006-01-01

In the present thesis the microscopical properties of the superconducting state of MgCNi 3 , MgB 2 , and some rare earth-transition metal borocarbides are studied by means of measurements of the specific heat. Furthermore the frequency spectrum of the lattice vibrations is estimated. The energy gap of the superconducting state can be determined from the specific heat of the superconducting state, which yields as like as the upper critical mafnetic field H c2 (0) hints on the electron-phonon coupling. From the analysis of these results and the comparison with results from transport measurements as well as the tunnel and point-contact spectroscopy can be concluded, how far the BCS model of superconductivity must be modified in order to be able to describe the superconducting state of the studied compounds. Studies on MgCNi 3 , which lies near a magnetic instability, show that occurring magnetic fluctuations have a bisection of the superconducting transition temperature T C as consequence. The under this aspect relatively high value of T C =7 K is a consequence of strong electron-phonon coupling, which is essentailly carried by nickel vibrations stabilized by carbon. A for the first time observed distinct anomaly in the specific heat of the classical many-band superconductor MgB 2 (here with pure 10 B) at about T c /4=10 K can be understood by means of a two-band model for the case of especially weak coupling between both bands. The analysis of the specific heat of the superconducting phase of the non-magnetic rare earth-nickel borocarbide YNi 2 B 2 C and LuNi 2 B 2 C leads to the conclusion thet visible effects of the many-band electron system are dependent on the mass on the position both of the rare earth and the transition metal. The signal of the superconducting phase transformation visible in the specific heat of the antiferromagnetic HoNi 2 B 2 C is smaller than expected

Towards a Cryogen-Free MgB2-Based Superconducting Radio Frequency Accelerating Cavities

Science.gov (United States)

Nassiri, Alireza

Studies on the application of Magnesium diboride (MgB2) superconducting films have shown promise for use with the radio-frequency (SRF) accelerating cavities. MgB2\\ coating is a potential candidate to replace bulk niobium (Nb) SRF cavities. The ultimate goal of our research is to demonstrate MgB2 coating on copper cavities to allow operation at about 20 K or so as a result of the high transition temperature (Tc) of MgB2 and taking advantage of the excellent thermal conductivity of copper. Here, we will report on our recent experimental results of applying hybrid physical-chemical vapor deposition (HPCVD) to grow MgB2 films on 2-inch diameter copper discs as well as on a 2.8 GHz resonator cavity *Work supported by the U.S. Department of Energy, Office of Science, under Contract No. DE-AC02-06H11357.

On possibility origination of superconductivity in MgB sub 2 compound

CERN Document Server

Zajtsev, R O

2001-01-01

The mechanism of originating superconductivity in the MgB sub 2 is studied on the basis of the Hubbard generalized model. The possibility of existence of the Cooper instability in the system with jumps between the cations and anions of the nontransient elements is established with application of the notion on the strong interaction. Filling of the boron four electron p-shell and the magnesium two-electron 3s sup 2 shell is considered with an account of the hexagonal symmetry of the MgB sub 2 elementary cell. The phase diagram of existing the superconductivity in dependence on the filling rate of the (n sub p)p sup 6 and (n sub s)s sup 2 -shells of the nontransient elements is plotted

Effects of graphite doping on critical current density and microstructure of MgB2 bulks by an improved Mg-diffusion method

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Pan, X.F.; Zhao, Y.; Feng, Y.; Yang, Y.; Cheng, C.H.

2008-01-01

abstract: A series of graphite-doped MgB 2 bulks with high density have been successfully prepared by an improved Mg-diffusion method in ambient pressure. The effects of graphite doping on lattice parameters, T c , J c and microstructure of MgB 2 have been investigated. The results show that compared to the nano-C-doped or CNTs-doped MgB 2 , C is not easy to substitute B in graphite-doped MgB 2 . However, at the same C content, the graphite-doped MgB 2 has a higher J c . At 10 K and self-field, the J c for MgB 1.985 C 0.015 reaches 0.58 MA/cm 2 . For the MgB 1.945 C 0.055 , at 5 K, 7 T and 10 K, 6 T the J c achieves 10,000 A/cm 2 which is two orders of magnitude higher than that for the undoped sample. In addition to improving electron scattering and intergranular connectivity, the unreacted graphite in the graphite-doped MgB 2 is proposed to be responsible to the excellent J c properties of MgB 2 in high fields, due to depressed grain growth and enhanced grain boundary flux pinning

Interplay between the energy gap and heat capacity in S-wave superconductor

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Gonczarek, R.; Mulak, M.

1998-01-01

Starting from the postulated, generalized form of the BCS gap equation, suitable for a wide class of microscopic models, the thermodynamic properties of S-wave superconductors are studied. The precise analytical formulas for the main thermodynamic quantities are given and discussed in the characteristic temperature limits. In particular the inversion of the equations defining the specific heat as a function of Δ(T), i.e. the temperature dependence of the energy gap in S-wave superconductor is presented. It makes possible a reconstruction of the energy gap as a function of temperature from the heat capacity data. As predicted, in the frame of the model, the other thermodynamic quantities from the Δ(T) function seem also to be interesting. (orig.)

Insulator layer formation in MgB2 SIS junctions

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Shimakage, H.; Tsujimoto, K.; Wang, Z.; Tonouchi, M.

2005-01-01

The dependence of current-voltage characteristics on thin film deposition conditions was investigated using MgB 2 /AlN/NbN SIS junctions. By increasing the substrate temperature in AlN insulator deposition, the current density decreased and the normal resistance increased. The results indicated that an additional insulator layer between the MgB 2 and AlN formed, either before or during the AlN deposition. The thickness of the additional insulator layer was increased with an increase in the AlN deposition temperature. From the dependence of current density on the thickness of AlN in low temperature depositions, the thickness of the additional insulator layer was estimated to be 1-1.5 nm when the AlN insulator was deposited from 0.14 to 0.7 nm. Moreover, with the current density of MgB 2 /AlN/MgB 2 SIS junctions, further insulator layer formation was confirmed

Note: Progress on the use of MgB2 superconducting joint technique for the development of MgB2 magnets for magnetic resonance imaging (MRI).

Science.gov (United States)

Kim, Y G; Song, J B; Kim, J C; Kim, J M; Yoo, B H; Yun, S B; Hwang, D Y; Lee, H G

2017-08-01

This note presents a superconducting joint technique for the development of MgB 2 magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) magnets. The MgB 2 superconducting joint was fabricated by a powder processing method using Mg and B powders to establish a wire-bulk-wire connection. The joint resistance measured using a field-decay method was magnets operating in the persistent current mode.

Al-doped MgB_2 materials studied using electron paramagnetic resonance and Raman spectroscopy

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Bateni, Ali; Somer, Mehmet; Erdem, Emre; Repp, Sergej; Weber, Stefan

2016-01-01

Undoped and aluminum (Al) doped magnesium diboride (MgB_2) samples were synthesized using a high-temperature solid-state synthesis method. The microscopic defect structures of Al-doped MgB_2 samples were systematically investigated using X-ray powder diffraction, Raman spectroscopy, and electron paramagnetic resonance. It was found that Mg-vacancies are responsible for defect-induced peculiarities in MgB_2. Above a certain level of Al doping, enhanced conductive properties of MgB_2 disappear due to filling of vacancies or trapping of Al in Mg-related vacancy sites.

The effects of Fe2O3 nanoparticles on MgB2 superconducting thin films

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Koparan, E.T.; Sidorenko, A.; Yanmaz, E.

2013-01-01

Full text: Since the discovery of superconductivity in binary MgB 2 compounds, extensive studies have been carried out because of its excellent properties for technological applications, such as high transition temperature (T c = 39 K), high upper critical field (H c2 ), high critical current density (J c ). Thin films are important for fundamental research as well as technological applications of any functional materials. Technological applications primarily depend on critical current density. The strong field dependence of J c for MgB 2 necessitates an enhancement in flux pinning performance in order to improve values in high magnetic fields. An effective way to improve the flux pinning is to introduce flux pinning centers into MgB 2 through a dopant having size comparable to the coherence length of MgB 2 . In this study, MgB 2 film with a thickness of about 600 nm was deposited on the MgO (100) single crystal substrate using a 'two-step' synthesis technique. Firstly, deposition of boron thin film was carried out by rf magnetron sputtering on MgO substrates and followed by a post deposition annealing at 850 degrees Celsius in magnesium vapour. In order to investigate the effect of Fe 2 O 3 nanoparticles on the structural and magnetic properties of films, MgB 2 films were coated with different concentrations of Fe 2 O 3 nanoparticles by a spin coating process. The effects of different concentrations of ferromagnetic Fe 2 O 3 nanoparticles on superconducting properties of obtained films were carried out by using structural (XRD, SEM, AFM), electrical (R-T) and magnetization (M-H, M-T and AC Susceptibility) measurements. It was calculated that anisotropic coefficient was about γ = 1.2 and coherence length of 5 nm for the uncoated film. As a result of coherence length, the appropriate diameters of Fe 2 O 3 nanoparticles were found to be 10 nm, indicating that these nanoparticles served as the pinning centers. Based on the data obtained from this study, it can be

Pairing States of Spin-3/2 Fermions: Symmetry-Enforced Topological Gap Functions

Science.gov (United States)

Venderbos, Jörn W. F.; Savary, Lucile; Ruhman, Jonathan; Lee, Patrick A.; Fu, Liang

2018-01-01

We study the topological properties of superconductors with paired j =3/2 quasiparticles. Higher spin Fermi surfaces can arise, for instance, in strongly spin-orbit coupled band-inverted semimetals. Examples include the Bi-based half-Heusler materials, which have recently been established as low-temperature and low-carrier density superconductors. Motivated by this experimental observation, we obtain a comprehensive symmetry-based classification of topological pairing states in systems with higher angular momentum Cooper pairing. Our study consists of two main parts. First, we develop the phenomenological theory of multicomponent (i.e., higher angular momentum) pairing by classifying the stationary points of the free energy within a Ginzburg-Landau framework. Based on the symmetry classification of stationary pairing states, we then derive the symmetry-imposed constraints on their gap structures. We find that, depending on the symmetry quantum numbers of the Cooper pairs, different types of topological pairing states can occur: fully gapped topological superconductors in class DIII, Dirac superconductors, and superconductors hosting Majorana fermions. Notably, we find a series of nematic fully gapped topological superconductors, as well as double- and triple-Dirac superconductors, with quadratic and cubic dispersion, respectively. Our approach, applied here to the case of j =3/2 Cooper pairing, is rooted in the symmetry properties of pairing states, and can therefore also be applied to other systems with higher angular momentum and high-spin pairing. We conclude by relating our results to experimentally accessible signatures in thermodynamic and dynamic probes.

Thickness dependence of J_c (0) in MgB_2 films

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Chen, Yiling; Yang, Can; Jia, Chunyan; Feng, Qingrong; Gan, Zizhao

2016-01-01

Highlights: • A serial of MgB_2 superconducting films from 10 nm to 8 µm have been prepared. • T_c and J_c (5 K, 0 T) of films are high. • J_c (5 K, 0 T) reaches its maximum 2.3 × 10"8 A cm"−"2 for 100 nm films. • The relationship between thickness and J_c has been discussed in detail. - Abstract: MgB_2 superconducting films, whose thicknesses range from 10 nm to 8 µm, have been fabricated on SiC substrates by hybrid physical–chemical vapor deposition (HPCVD) method. It is the first time that the T_c and the J_c of MgB_2 films are studied on such a large scale. It is found that with the increasing of thickness, T_c elevates first and then keeps roughly stable except for some slight fluctuations, while J_c (5 K, 0 T) experiences a sharp increase followed by a relatively slow fall. The maximum J_c (5 K, 0 T) = 2.3 × 10"8 A cm"−"2 is obtained for 100 nm films, which is the experimental evidence for preparing high-quality MgB_2 films by HPCVD method. Thus, this work may provide guidance on choosing the suitable thickness for applications. Meanwhile, the films prepared by us cover ultrathin films, thin films and thick films, so the study on them will bring a comprehensive understanding of MgB_2 films.

Enhancing the superconducting temperature of MgB2 by SWCNT dilution

Science.gov (United States)

Ma, Danhao; Jayasingha, Ruwantha; Hess, Dustin T.; Adu, Kofi W.; Sumanasekera, Gamini U.; Terrones, Mauricio

2014-02-01

We report, for the first time, an increase in the superconducting critical temperature, TC of commercial “dirty” MgB2 by a nonsubstitutional hole-doping of the MgB2 structure using minute, single-wall carbon nanotube (SWCNT) inclusions. We varied the SWCNTs concentration from 0.05 wt% to 5 wt% and investigated the temperature-dependent resistivity from 10 K to 300 K. We used micro-Raman spectroscopy, field-emission scanning electron microscopy, and X-ray diffraction to analyze the interfacial interactions between the SWCNTs and the MgB2 grains. We obtained an increase in TC from 33.0 to 37.8 K (ΔTC+=4.8 K), which is attributed to charge transfer from the MgB2 structure to the SWCNT structure. The charge transfer phenomenon is confirmed by micro-Raman analysis of the phonon states of the SWCNT tangential band frequency in the composites. We determined the charge transfer per carbon atom to be 0.0023/C, 0.0018/C and 0.0008/C for 0.05 wt%, 0.5 wt% and 5 wt% SWCNT inclusions, respectively, taking into account the contributions from the softening of the lattice constant and the nonadiabatic (dynamic) effects at the Fermi level. This report provides an experimental, alternative pathway to hole-doping of MgB2 without appealing to chemical substitution.

Assessment of liquid hydrogen cooled MgB2 conductors for magnetically confined fusion

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Glowacki, B A; Nuttall, W J

2008-01-01

Importantly environmental factors are not the only policy-driver for the hydrogen economy. Over the timescale of the development of fusion energy systems, energy security issues are likely to motivate a shift towards both hydrogen production and fusion as an energy source. These technologies combine local control of the system with the collaborative research interests of the major energy users in the global economy. A concept Fusion Island Reactor that might be used to generate H 2 (rather than electricity) is presented. Exploitation of produced hydrogen as a coolant and as a fuel is proposed in conjunction with MgB 2 conductors for the tokomak magnets windings, and electrotechnical devices for Fusion Island's infrastructure. The benefits of using MgB 2 over the Nb-based conductors during construction, operation and decommissioning of the Fusion Island Reactor are presented. The comparison of Nb 3 Sn strands for ITER fusion magnet with newly developed high field composite MgB 2 PIT conductors has shown that at 14 Tesla MgB 2 possesses better properties than any of the Nb 3 Sn conductors produced. In this paper the potential of MgB 2 conductors is examined for tokamaks of both the conventional ITER type and a Spherical Tokamak geometry. In each case MgB 2 is considered as a conductor for a range of field coil applications and the potential for operation at both liquid helium and liquid hydrogen temperatures is considered. Further research plans concerning the application of MgB 2 conductors for Fusion Island are also considered

Low-temperature synthesis of superconducting nanocrystalline MgB2

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Lu, J.; Xiao, Z.; Lin, Q.; Claus, H.; Fang, Z.Z.

2010-01-01

Magnesium diboride (MgB 2 ) is considered a promising material for practical application in superconducting devices, with a transition temperature near 40 K. In the present paper, nanocrystalline MgB 2 with an average particle size of approximately 70 nm is synthesized by reacting LiBH 4 with MgH 2 at temperatures as low as 450 C. This synthesis approach successfully bypasses the usage of either elemental boron or toxic diborane gas. The superconductivity of the nanostructures is confirmed by magnetization measurements, showing a superconducting critical temperature of 38.7 K.

Development of Ti-sheathed MgB2 wires with high critical current density

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Liang, G; Fang, H; Hanna, M; Yen, F; Lv, B; Alessandrini, M; Keith, S; Hoyt, C; Tang, Z; Salama, K

2006-01-01

Working towards developing lightweight superconducting magnets for future space and other applications, we have successfully fabricated mono-core Ti-sheathed MgB 2 wires by the powder-in-tube method. The wires were characterized by magnetization, electrical resistivity, x-ray diffraction, scanning electron microscopy, and energy dispersive spectrometry measurements. The results indicate that the Ti sheath does not react with the magnesium and boron, and the present wire rolling process can produce MgB 2 wires with a superconducting volume fraction of at least 64% in the core. Using the Bean model, it was found that at 5 K, the magnetic critical current densities, J c , measured in magnetic fields of 0, 5, and 8 T are about 4.2 x 10 5 , 3.6 x 10 4 , and 1.4 x 10 4 A cm -2 , respectively. At 20 K and 0 T, the magnetic J c is about 2.4 x 10 5 A cm -2 . These results show that at zero and low fields, the values of the magnetic J c for Ti-sheathed MgB 2 wires are comparable with the best results available for the Fe-sheathed MgB 2 wires. At high fields, however, the J c for Ti-sheathed MgB 2 wires appears higher than that for the Fe-sheathed MgB 2 wires

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.

Raman study of electronic excitations in MgB2 with application of high magnetic field

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Machtoub, L.; Takano, Y.; Kito, H.

2006-01-01

We present the first results of Raman scattering with application of magnetic field on magnesium diboride (MgB 2 ). In this work, we have investigated the magnetic field dependence of the 72 meV (E 2g mode) and the pair-breaking peak around 100 cm -1 which corresponds to σ-band gap. Intensity enhancement of Raman features around 800 cm -1 accompanied with broadening in the line shape of E 2g mode has been observed in some polycrystalline samples at 0 GPa. Results are compared with previous Raman study under hydrostatic pressure

Electromagnetic densification of MgB2/Cu wires

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Woźniak, M; Glowacki, B A

2014-01-01

Electromagnetic compaction of in situ MgB 2 /Cu wire has been achieved using a custom-built 200 J device. The monofilament core packing density was increased by 8% and up to 31% for unreacted and reacted wires respectively. The higher density of the MgB 2 core resulted in a critical current density increase of up to 75% in comparison to that for cold-drawn-only wire. Applying this treatment to a wire with Cu powder additions to the core and with an optimized heat treatment resulted in one of the highest ever reported values of J c for MgB 2 /Cu wires of 6.83 × 10 3  A cm −2 at 4.2 K and 6 T. (paper)

Electronic structure of MgB 2

Indian Academy of Sciences (India)

Results of ab initio electronic structure calculations on the compound MgB2 using the FPLAPW method employing GGA for the exchange-correlation energy are presented. Total energy minimization enables us to estimate the equilibrium volume, / ratio and the bulk modulus, all of which are in excellent agreement with ...

Electronic structure of MgB2

Indian Academy of Sciences (India)

Abstract. Results of ab initio electronic structure calculations on the compound MgB2 using the. FPLAPW method employing GGA for the exchange-correlation energy are presented. Total energy minimization enables us to estimate the equilibrium volume, c/a ratio and the bulk modulus, all of which are in excellent ...

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.

Solid-liquid stable phase equilibria of the ternary systems MgCl2 + MgB6O10+ H2O AND MgSO4 + MgB6O10 + H2O at 308.15 K

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Lingzong Meng

2014-03-01

Full Text Available The solubilities and the relevant physicochemical properties of the ternary systems MgCl2 + MgB6O10 + H2O and MgSO4 + MgB6O10 + H2O at 308.15 K were investigated using an isothermal dissolution method. It was found that there is one invariant point, two univariant curves, and two crystallization regions of the systems. The systems belong to a simple co-saturated type, and neither double salts nor solid solutions were found. Based on the extended HW model and its temperature-dependent equations, the single-salt Pitzer parameters β(0, β(1, β(2 and CØ for MgCl2, MgSO4, and Mg(B6O7(OH6, the mixed ion-interaction parameters θCl,B6O10, θSO4,B6O10, ΨMg,Cl,B6O10, ΨMg,SO4,B6O10 of the systems at 308.15 K were fitted, In addition, the average equilibrium constants of the stable equilibrium solids at 308.15 K were obtained by a method using the activity product constant. Then the solubilities of the ternary systems are calculated. The calculated solubilities agree well with the experimental values.

Crystallinity and flux pinning properties of MgB2 bulks

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Yamamoto, A.; Shimoyama, J.; Ueda, S.; Katsura, Y.; Iwayama, I.; Horii, S.; Kishio, K.

2006-01-01

The relationship between flux pinning properties and crystallinity of MgB 2 bulks was systematically studied. Improved flux pinning properties under high fields were observed for samples with low crystallinity. Increased impurity scattering due to strain and defects in lattice corresponding to the degraded crystallinity was considered to enhance flux pinning strength at grain boundaries. Low-temperature synthesis and carbon substitution were confirmed to be effective for degrading crystallinity of MgB 2 bulks, resulting in high critical current properties under high fields

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.)

Effects of sintering conditions on critical current properties and microstructures of MgB2 bulks

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Yamamoto, Akiyasu; Shimoyama, Jun-ichi; Ueda, Shinya; Katsura, Yukari; Iwayama, Isao; Horii, Shigeru; Kishio, Kohji

2005-01-01

The effects of heating conditions on critical current properties and microstructures of undoped MgB 2 bulks were systematically studied. Strong correlation was observed between J c and microstructures. The network structure with an excellent inter-grain connectivity of MgB 2 grains contributed to high-J c under low magnetic fields, and small grain size of MgB 2 enhanced the grain boundary flux pinning. Long time heating at low temperatures below the melting point of magnesium was discovered to be most effective for synthesis of MgB 2 bulks having strongly connected MgB 2 network structure with small grains. The sample heated at 550 deg. C for 1200 h recorded a high-J c of 4.02 x 10 5 A cm -2 at 20 K in self-field, while high-temperature and long time heating brought a significant grain growth which resulted in low J c

Tunable Majorana corner states in a two-dimensional second-order topological superconductor induced by magnetic fields

Science.gov (United States)

Zhu, Xiaoyu

2018-05-01

A two-dimensional second-order topological superconductor exhibits a finite gap in both bulk and edges, with the nontrivial topology manifesting itself through Majorana zero modes localized at the corners, i.e., Majorana corner states. We investigate a time-reversal-invariant topological superconductor in two dimensions and demonstrate that an in-plane magnetic field could transform it into a second-order topological superconductor. A detailed analysis reveals that the magnetic field gives rise to mass terms which take distinct values among the edges, and Majorana corner states naturally emerge at the intersection of two adjacent edges with opposite masses. With the rotation of the magnetic field, Majorana corner states localized around the boundary may hop from one corner to a neighboring one and eventually make a full circle around the system when the field rotates by 2 π . In the end, we briefly discuss physical realizations of this system.

Growth of high quality large area MgB2 thin films by reactive evaporation

OpenAIRE

Moeckly, Brian H.; Ruby, Ward S.

2006-01-01

We report a new in-situ reactive deposition thin film growth technique for the production of MgB2 thin films which offers several advantages over all existing methods and is the first deposition method to enable the production of high-quality MgB2 films for real-world applications. We have used this growth method, which incorporates a rotating pocket heater, to deposit MgB2 films on a variety of substrates, including single-crystalline, polycrystalline, metallic, and semiconductor materials u...

MgB2 magnetometer with a directly coupled pick-up loop

Science.gov (United States)

Portesi, C.; Mijatovic, D.; Veldhuis, D.; Brinkman, A.; Monticone, E.; Gonnelli, R. S.

2006-05-01

In this work, we show the results obtained in the fabrication and characterization of an MgB2 magnetometer with a directly coupled pick-up loop. We used an all in situ technique for fabricating magnesium diboride films, which consists of the co-evaporation of B and Mg by means of an e-gun and a resistive heater respectively. Consequently, we realized the superconducting device, which incorporates two nanobridges as weak links in a superconducting loop. The nanobridges were realized by focused ion beam milling; they were 240 nm wide and had a critical current density of 107 A cm-2. The magnetometer was characterized at different temperatures and also measurements of the noise levels have been performed. The device shows Josephson quantum interference up to 20 K and the calculated effective area at low temperatures was 0.24 mm2. The transport properties of the magnetometer allow determining fundamental materials properties of the MgB2 thin films, such as the penetration depth.

In-gap bound states induced by interstitial Fe impurities in iron-based superconductors

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Zhang, Degang, E-mail: degangzhang@yahoo.com

2015-12-15

Highlights: • We provide an explanation for the interesting STM observation of the robust zero energy bound state on the interstitial Fe impurities in iron-based superconductors. - Abstract: Based on a two-orbit four-band tight binding model, we investigate the low-lying electronic states around the interstitial excess Fe ions in the iron-based superconductors by using T-matrix approach. It is shown that the local density of states at the interstitial Fe impurity (IFI) possesses a strong resonance inside the gap, which seems to be insensitive to the doping and the pairing symmetry in the Fe–Fe plane, while a single or two resonances appear at the nearest neighboring (NN) Fe sites. The location and height of the resonance peaks only depend on the hopping t and the pairing parameter Δ{sub I} between the IFI and the NN Fe sites. These in-gap resonances are originated in the Andreev’s bound states due to the quasiparticle tunneling through the IFI, leading to the change of the magnitude of the superconducting order parameter. When both t and Δ{sub I} are small, this robust zero-energy bound state near the IFI is consistent with recent scanning tunneling microscopy observations.

Doping effects of carbon and titanium on the critical current density of MgB2

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Shen, T M; Li, G; Cheng, C H; Zhao, Y

2006-01-01

MgB 2 bulks doped with Ti or/and C were prepared by an in situ solid state reaction method to determine the combined effect of C and Ti doping and to probe the detailed mechanism. The magnetization measurement shows that Mg 0.95 Ti 0.05 B 1.95 C 0.05 sample has significantly improved flux pinning compared to the MgB 1.95 C 0.05 sample at 20 K, indicating that C and Ti are largely cooperative in improving the J c (H) behaviour. No TiC phase was detected in the x-ray diffraction (XRD) patterns. Moreover, the overlap of the (100) peaks of MgB 1.95 C 0.05 and Mg 0.95 Ti 0.05 B 1.95 C 0.05 showed that Ti doping does not reduce the amount of C in MgB 2 . Microstructural analyses revealed that the addition of Ti eliminated the porosity present in the carbon-doped MgB 2 pellet, resulting in an improved intergrain connectivity and an increase of effective current pass. Further, MgB 2 doped with C and Ti, which mainly consists of spherical grains about 200-300 nm in size, shows an higher grain homogeneity than the C-doped sample, suggesting that the Ti doping in MgB 1-x C x has played an important role in obtaining uniform grains

Phase Equilibria Relationships of High-Tc Superconductors

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Wong-Ng, Winnie

2011-01-01

As an integral part of a R and D program partially supported by the Electricity Delivery and Energy Reliability Office of DOE, we have determined phase equilibria data and phase diagrams for the three generations of superconductor materials: 1st generation, (Bi,Pb)-Sr-Ca- Cu-O systems; 2nd generation, Ba-R-Cu-O systems (R=lanthanides and yttrium); and 3rd generation, MgB2 systems. Our studies involved bulk materials, single crystals and thin films. This report gives a summary of our accomplishments, a list of publications, and 15 selected journal publications.

Superconducting properties of MgB2 particle impregnated with Mg-based alloys

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Shimizu, Yusuke; Matsuda, Kenji; Mizutani, Manabu; Nishimura, Katsuhiko; Kawabata, Tokimasa; Ikeno, Susumu; Hishinuma, Yoshimitsu; Aoyama, Shigeki

2011-01-01

The three-dimensional penetration method combined with semi-solid casting (SS-3DPC) was utilized to prepare magnesium diboride (MgB 2 ) powder composite materials with various host materials of Mg, Mg-3%Al, Mg-3%Al-1%Zn, Mg-9%Al, and Mg-9%Al-1%Zn. X-ray diffraction measurements indicated predominant peak patterns of MgB 2 and a host alloy, implying that the host material tightly bonded MgB 2 grains without melting the MgB 2 powder. This was confirmed by SEM images. Measured electrical resistivity and magnetization versus temperature showed clear signals of superconducting transition temperature of 27-38 K for all the samples cut out from the billets. Magnetic hysteresis loop observed at 5 K enabled us to estimate a critical current density (J c ) based on the extended Bean model. Additions of aluminum and zinc elements to magnesium host-matrix were found to enhance J c and increase residual resistivity (ρ 0 ) suggesting that aluminum and zinc have an effect on pinning magnetic flux flow for J c enhancement, and scattering conduction electrons for increase of ρ 0 . (author)

Feasibility study on partial insulation winding technique for the development of self-protective MgB2 magnet

Science.gov (United States)

Kim, Y. G.; Kim, J. C.; Kim, J. M.; Yoo, B. H.; Hwang, D. Y.; Lee, H. G.

2018-06-01

This study investigates the feasibility of using the partial insulation winding technique for the development of a self-protective MgB2 MRI magnet with a fast charge-discharge rate. Charge-discharge and quench tests for a prototype PI MgB2 magnet confirmed that the magnet was successfully operated at full-field performance and exhibited self-protecting behavior in the event of a quench. Nonetheless, the required time to charge the 0.5-T/300-mm PI MgB2 magnet was almost five days, implying that the charge-discharge delay of the PI MgB2 magnet still needs to be ameliorated further to develop a real-scale MgB2 MRI magnet with a fast charge-discharge rate.

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...

Comparison between nano-diamond and carbon nanotube doping effects on critical current density and flux pinning in MgB2

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Cheng, C H; Yang, Y; Munroe, P; Zhao, Y

2007-01-01

Doping effects of nano-diamond and carbon nanotubes (CNTs) on critical current density of bulk MgB 2 have been studied. CNTs are found prone to be doped into the MgB 2 lattice whereas nano-diamond tends to form second-phase inclusions in the MgB 2 matrix, leading to a more significant improvement of J c (H) by doping by nano-diamond than by CNTs in MgB 2 . TEM reveals tightly packed MgB 2 nanograins (50-100 nm) with a dense distribution of diamond nanoparticles (10-20 nm) inside MgB 2 grains in nano-diamond-doped samples. Such a unique microstructure leads to a flux pinning behaviour different from that in CNTs-doped MgB 2

Magnetic microscopy for characterization of local critical current in iron-sheathed MgB2 wires

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Higashikawa, K.; Yamamoto, A.; Kiss, T.; Ye, S.; Matsumoto, A.; Kumakura, H.

2014-01-01

Highlights: • We developed a characterization method of local critical current in MgB 2 wires. • Local homogeneity was visualized by the scanning Hall-probe microscopy (SHPM). • Local critical current value was quantified with the aid of the finite element method (FEM). • MgB 2 wire still has inhomogeneous distribution in local critical current. • Higher potential than that estimated by the four-probe transport method was suggested. - Abstract: We have developed a characterization method of local critical current in iron-sheathed MgB 2 wires. Local homogeneity was visualized by the scanning Hall-probe microscopy (SHPM). The value of local critical current was quantified with the aid of the finite element method (FEM) considering the ferromagnetic properties of the iron sheath. The results suggested that MgB 2 wires fabricated by internal Mg diffusion processes still have large longitudinal inhomogeneity and much higher potential than that estimated by the four-probe transport method. This will be very important information for making a correct strategy for further development of MgB 2 wires

Intrinsic flux pinning mechanisms in different thickness MgB2 films

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

C. Yang

2017-03-01

Full Text Available MgB2 films in four thickness (60 nm, 200nm, 600nm and 1μm have been fabricated by hybrid physical–chemical vapor deposition technique (HPCVD. By measuring the magnetization hysteresis loops and the resistivity, we have obtained the transport and magnetic properties of the four films. After that, the pinning mechanisms in them were discussed. Comparing the pinning behaviors in these ultrathin films, thin films and thick films, it was found that there exist different pinning types in MgB2 films of different thickness. In combination with the study of the surface morphology, cross-section and XRD results, we concluded that MgB2 films had different growth modes in different growth stages. For thin films, films grew along c axis, and grain boundaries acted as surface pinning. While for thick films, films grew along c axis at first, and then changed to a-b axis growth. As a result, the a-b axis grains acted as strong volume pinning.

Critical current and cryogenic stability modelling of filamentary MgB2 conductors

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Glowacki, B.A.; Majoros, M.; Tanaka, K.

2006-01-01

The modelling of a single filament, 6 filaments and 19 filaments MgB(2) conductors was performed for two limiting cases: a) isothermal conditions considering J(c)(B) dependence, b) considering heating effects but with J(c) magnetic field independent. As a starting point of the modelling in case a...

AC losses in superconductors: a multi-scale approach for the design of high current cables

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Escamez, Guillaume

2016-01-01

The work reported in this PhD deals with AC losses in superconducting material for large scale applications such as cables or magnets. Numerical models involving FEM or integral methods have been developed to solve the time transient electromagnetic distributions of field and current densities with the peculiarity of the superconducting constitutive E-J equation. Two main conductors have been investigated. First, REBCO superconductors for applications operating at 77 K are studied and a new architecture of conductor (round wires) for 3 kA cables. Secondly, for very high current cables, 3-D simulations on MgB_2 wires are built and solved using FEM modeling. The following chapter introduced new development used for the calculation of AC losses in DC cables with ripples. The thesis ends with the use of the developed numerical model on a practical example in the european BEST-PATHS project: a 10 kA MgB_2 demonstrator [fr

Fabrication and radio frequency test of large-area MgB2 films on niobium substrates

Science.gov (United States)

Ni, Zhimao; Guo, Xin; Welander, Paul B.; Yang, Can; Franzi, Matthew; Tantawi, Sami; Feng, Qingrong; Liu, Kexin

2017-04-01

Magnesium diboride (MgB2) is a promising candidate material for superconducting radio frequency (RF) cavities because of its higher transition temperature and critical field compared with niobium. To meet the demand of RF test devices, the fabrication of large-area MgB2 films on metal substrates is needed. In this work, high quality MgB2 films with 50 mm diameter were fabricated on niobium by using an improved HPCVD system at Peking University, and RF tests were carried out at SLAC National Accelerator Laboratory. The transition temperature is approximately 39.6 K and the RF surface resistance is about 120 μΩ at 4 K and 11.4 GHz. The fabrication processes, surface morphology, DC superconducting properties and RF tests of these large-area MgB2 films are presented.

Raman spectra of MgB2 at high pressure and topological electronic transition

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Meletov, K.P.; Kulakov, M.P.; Kolesnikov, N.N.; Arvanitidis, J.; Kourouklis, G.A.

2002-01-01

Raman spectra of the MgB 2 ceramic samples were measured as a function of pressure up to 32 GPa at room temperature. The spectrum at normal conditions contains a very broad peak at ∼ 590 cm -1 related to the E 2g phonon mode. The frequency of this mode exhibits a strong linear dependence in the pressure region from 5 to 18 GPa, whereas beyond this region the slope of the pressure-induced frequency shift is reduced by about a factor of two. The pressure dependence of the phonon mode up to ∼ 5 GPa exhibits a change in the slope as well as a hysteresis effect in the frequency vs. pressure behavior. These singularities in the E 2g mode behavior under pressure support the suggestion that MgB 2 may undergo a pressure-induced topological electronic transition [ru

First-principles study of the (0001)-MgB2 surface finished in Mg and B

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Segura, Sully; Martínez, Jairo Arbey Rodríguez; Moreno-Armenta, María Guadalupe

2014-01-01

We present a study based on Density Functional Theory (DFT) of the volume and two surfaces (0001) of MgB 2 , one of them terminated in Mg and the other one terminated in B. Each one of the surface was relaxed and their electronic properties were determined. From calculation of the enthalpy of formation we found that the Mg-terminated surface is energetically favored. The bands seem to present a formation similar to the Dirac's cone as that are presented in graphene, but in MgB 2 is above of the Fermi level. In the three cases, volume and the two surfaces, the behaviour is boron-metallic, because there are strong presence of B orbital's in the neighborhood of the Ferm level

Electronic Raman spectra in iron-based superconductors with two-orbital model

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Lu Hongyan; Wang Da; Chen San; Wang Wei; Gong Pifeng

2011-01-01

Electronic Raman spectra were calculated in orbital space in a microscopic theory. Both Raman spectra and spectra weight were presented. Raman spectra for the gap symmetries are different from each other. The results can help decide the gap symmetry by comparing with experiments. Electronic Raman spectra in iron-based superconductors with two-orbital model is discussed. In the orbital space, some possible pairing symmetries of the gap are selected. To further discriminate them, electronic Raman spectra and spectra weight at Fermi surface (FS) which helps understand the Raman spectra are calculated in each case. From the low energy threshold, the number of Raman peaks, and the low frequency power law behavior, we can judge whether it is full gap or nodal gap, and even one gap or multi-gaps. The results provide useful predictions for comparison with experiments.

Superhard MgB sub 2 bulk material prepared by high-pressure sintering

CERN Document Server

Ma, H A; Chen, L X; Zhu, P W; Ren, G Z; Guo, W L; Fu, X Q; Zou Guang Tian; Ren, Z A; Che, G C; Zhao, Z X

2002-01-01

Superhard MgB sub 2 bulk material with a golden metallic shine was synthesized by high-pressure sintering for 8 h at 5.5 GPa and different temperatures. Appropriate pressure and temperature conditions for synthesizing polycrystalline MgB sub 2 with high hardness were investigated. The samples were characterized by means of atomic force microscopy and x-ray diffraction. The Vickers hardness, bulk density, and electrical resistivity were measured at room temperature.

MgB2 superconducting particles in a strong electric field

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Tao, R.; Xu, X.; Amr, E.

2003-01-01

The electric-field induced ball formation has been observed with MgB 2 powder in a strong static or quasi-static electric field. The effect of temperature and magnetic field on the ball formation shows surprising features. For quite a wide range of temperature from T c =39 K and below, the ball size is proportional to (1-T/T c ). As the temperature further goes below 20 K, the ball size becomes almost a constant. If MgB 2 particles are in a strong electric field and a moderate magnetic field, the electric-field induced balls align in the magnetic-field direction to form ball chains

Influence of iridium doping in MgB2 superconducting wires

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Grivel, Jean-Claude

2018-01-01

MgB2 wires with iridium doping were manufactured using the in-situ technique in a composite Cu-Nb sheath. Reaction was performed at 700°C, 800°C or 900°C for 1h in argon atmosphere. A maximum of about 1.5 at.% Ir replaces Mg in MgB2. The superconducting transition temperature is slightly lowered...... by Ir doping. The formation of IrMg3 and IrMg4 secondary phase particles is evidenced, especially for a nominal stoichiometry with 2.0 at.% Ir doping. The critical current density and accommodation field of the wires are strongly dependent on the Ir content and are generally weakened in the presence...

The relation of the broad band with the E2g phonon and superconductivity in the Mg(B1-xCx)2 compound

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Parisiades, P.; Lampakis, D.; Palles, D.; Liarokapis, E.; Karpinski, J.

2007-01-01

We have carried out an extensive micro-Raman study on Mg(B 1-x C x ) 2 single crystals, for carbon concentrations up to x=0.15. The E 2g symmetry broad band for pure MgB 2 at ∼600cm -1 disappears even for small doping levels (x=0.027) and two well-defined peaks in the high-energy side of this band play a major role in the Raman spectra of the substituted compounds. We propose that a two-mode behavior of the compound might be present, induced by the coupling of the observed phonons with the electronic bands

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)

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...

Active Protection of an MgB2 Test Coil

Science.gov (United States)

Park, Dong Keun; Hahn, Seungyong; Bascuñán, Juan; Iwasa, Yukikazu

2011-01-01

This paper presents results of a study, experimental and computational, of a detect-and-activate-the-heater protection technique applied to a magnesium diboride (MgB2) test coil operated in semi-persistent mode. The test coil with a winding ID of 25 cm and wound with ~500-m long reacted MgB2 wire was operated at 4.2 K immersed in a bath of liquid helium. In this active technique, upon the initiation of a “hot spot” of a length ~10 cm, induced by a “quench heater,” a “protection heater” (PH) of ~600-cm long planted within the test coil is activated. The normal zone created by the PH is large enough to absorb the test coil’s entire initial stored energy and still keeps the peak temperature within the winding below ~260 K. PMID:22081754

Hc2 of anisotropy two-band superconductors by Ginzburg-Landau approach

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Udomsamuthirun, P.; Changjan, A.; Kumvongsa, C.; Yoksan, S.

2006-01-01

The purpose of this research is to study the upper critical field H c2 of two-band superconductors by two-band Ginzburg-Landau approach. The analytical formula of H c2 included anisotropy of order parameter and anisotropy of effective-mass are found. The parameters of the upper critical field in ab-plane (H c2 - bar ab ) and c-axis (H c2 - bar c ) can be found by fitting to the experimental data. Finally, we can find the ratio of upper critical field that temperature dependent in the range of experimental result

Microstructure and pinning properties of hexagonal-disc shaped single crystalline MgB2

Science.gov (United States)

Jung, C. U.; Kim, J. Y.; Chowdhury, P.; Kim, Kijoon H.; Lee, Sung-Ik; Koh, D. S.; Tamura, N.; Caldwell, W. A.; Patel, J. R.

2002-11-01

We synthesized hexagonal-disc-shaped MgB2 single crystals under high-pressure conditions and analyzed the microstructure and pinning properties. The lattice constants and the Laue pattern of the crystals from x-ray micro-diffraction showed the crystal symmetry of MgB2. A thorough crystallographic mapping within a single crystal showed that the edge and c axis of hexagonal-disc shape exactly matched the [101¯0] and the [0001] directions of the MgB2 phase. Thus, these well-shaped single crystals may be the best candidates for studying the direction dependences of the physical properties. The magnetization curve and the magnetic hysteresis curve for these single crystals showed the existence of a wide reversible region and weak pinning properties, which supported our single crystals being very clean.

Possible superlattice formation in high-temperature treated carbonaceous MgB2 at elevated pressure

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Tschauner, Oliver; Errandonea, Daniel; Serghiou, George

2006-01-01

We report indications of a phase transition in carbonaceous MgB 2 above 9 GPa at 300 K after stress relaxation by laser heating. The transition was detected using Raman spectroscopy and X-ray diffraction. The observed changes are consistent with a second-order structural transition involving a doubling of the unit cell along c and a reduction of the boron site symmetry. Moreover, the Raman spectra suggest a reduction in electron-phonon coupling in the slightly modified MgB 2 structure consistent with the previously proposed topological transition in MgB 2 . However, further attributes including deviatoric stress, lattice defects, and compositional variation may play an important role in the observed phenomena

Carbon-coated boron using low-cost naphthalene for substantial enhancement of Jc in MgB2 superconductor

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Ranot, Mahipal; Shinde, K. P.; Oh, Y. S.; Kang, S. H.; Jang, S. H.; Hwang, D. Y.; Chung, K. C. [Korea Institute of Materials Science, Changwon (Korea, Republic of)

2017-09-15

Carbon coating approach is used to prepare carbon-doped MgB{sub 2} bulk samples using low-cost naphthalene (C{sub 10}H{sub 8}) as a carbon source. The coating of carbon (C) on boron (B) powders was achieved by direct pyrolysis of naphthalene at 120 degrees C and then the C-coated B powders were mixed well with appropriate amount of Mg by solid state reaction method. X-ray diffraction analysis revealed that there is a noticeable shift in (100) and (110) Bragg reflections towards higher angles, while no shift was observed in (002) reflections for MgB2 doped with carbon. As compared to un-doped MgB{sub 2}, a systematic enhancement in Jc(H) properties with increasing carbon doping level was observed for naphthalene-derived C-doped MgB{sub 2} samples. The substantial enhancement in Jc is most likely due to the incorporation of C into MgB{sub 2} lattice and the reduction in crystallite size, as evidenced by the increase in the FWHM values for doped samples.

The effect of citric and oxalic acid doping on the superconducting properties of MgB2

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Ojha, N; Singla, Rashmi; Varma, G D; Malik, V K; Bernhard, C

2009-01-01

In this paper we report the effect of carbon doping on the structural and superconducting properties of MgB 2 using citric and oxalic acids as carbon sources. The bulk polycrystalline samples have been synthesized via a standard solid state reaction route with composition MgB 2 +x wt% of citric and oxalic acids (x = 0, 5 and 10). The x-ray diffraction results reveal the formation of dominantly MgB 2 with only a small amount of impurity phase MgO and substitution of C at the B site of MgB 2 for both dopants. Improvements in the upper critical field (H C2 ), irreversibility field (H irr ) and high field (>2.5 T) critical current density (J C ) have been observed on C doping in the samples. The correlations between superconducting properties and structural characteristics of the samples are described and discussed in this paper.

Crystallinity and superconductivity of as-grown MgB2 thin films with AlN buffer layers

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Tsujimoto, K.; Shimakage, H.; Wang, Z.; Kaya, N.

2005-01-01

The effects of aluminum nitride (AlN) buffer layers on the superconducting properties of MgB 2 thin film were investigated. The AlN buffer layers and as-grown MgB 2 thin films were deposited in situ using the multiple-target sputtering system. The best depositing condition for the AlN/MgB 2 bi-layer occurred when the AlN was deposited on c-cut sapphire substrates at 290 deg. C. The crystallinity of the AlN/MgB 2 bi-layer was studied using the XRD φ-scan and it showed that AlN and MgB 2 had the same in-plane alignment rotated at an angle of 30 deg. as compared to c-cut sapphire. The critical temperature of the MgB 2 film was 29.8 K and the resistivity was 50.0 μΩ cm at 40 K

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.

Electronic structure and superconductivity of MgB 2

Indian Academy of Sciences (India)

Results of ab initio electronic structure calculations on the compound, MgB2, using the FPLAPW method employing GGA for the exchange–correlation energy are presented. Total energy minimization enables us to estimate the equilibrium volume, / ratio and the bulk modulus, all of which are in excellent agreement with ...

Texture gradients in Fe-sheathed ex situ produced MgB2 tapes

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Lezza, P; Gladyshevskii, R; Abaecherli, V; Fluekiger, R

2006-01-01

Superconducting Fe-sheathed MgB 2 monofilamentary tapes have been fabricated by the powder-in-tube technique, varying the particle size of the starting MgB 2 powder and applying either cold or hot rolling during the last deformation process. Measurements of the critical current density J c with the magnetic field applied parallel or perpendicular to the tape surface revealed a pronounced anisotropy for the cold rolled tapes, which was found to increase with increasing particle size and magnetic field strength. The microstructural origin of the J c anisotropy was confirmed by means of x-ray diffraction performed on the filaments after mechanical removal of the sheath. The local texture was studied in a series of diffraction patterns collected at different distances from the filament centre, removing each time some 25 μm of the filament thickness. In the cold rolled tapes, the average orientation of the MgB 2 grains was found to approach a preferred orientation with the crystallographic c-axis perpendicular to the tape surface, near the interface with the sheath; however, the misalignment angle increased towards the centre of the tape. In the hot rolled tapes, for which no J c anisotropy was observed, the grains were found to be approximately randomly oriented. Roughness measurements performed on the side of the Fe sheath in contact with the MgB 2 filament are in agreement with the difference in texture observed for cold and hot rolled tapes

Pressure dependence of the Raman spectrum, lattice parameters and superconducting critical temperature of MgB2: evidence for pressure-driven phonon-assisted electronic topological transition

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Goncharov, A.F.; Struzhkin, V.V.

2003-01-01

We overview recent high-pressure studies of high-temperature superconductor MgB 2 by Raman scattering technique combined with measurements of superconducting critical temperature T c and lattice parameters up to 57 GPa. An anomalously broadened Raman band at 620 cm -1 is observed and assigned to the in-plane boron stretching E 2g mode. It exhibits a large Grueneisen parameter indicating that the vibration is highly anharmonic. The pressure dependencies of the E 2g mode and T c reveal anomalies at 15-22 GPa (isotope dependent). The anharmonic character of the E 2g phonon mode, its anomalous pressure dependence, and also that for T c are interpreted as a result of a phonon-assisted Lifshitz electronic topological transition

Three exciting areas of experimental physical sciences : high temperature superconductors, metal clusters and super molecules of carbon

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Rao, C.N.

1992-01-01

The author has narrated his experience in carrying out research in three exciting areas of physical sciences. These areas are : high temperature superconductors, metal clusters and super molecules of carbon. (M.G.B.)

The preliminary study of the quench protection of an MgB2

Science.gov (United States)

Juster, F. P.; Berriaud, C.; Bonelli, A.; Pasquet, R.; Przybilski, H.; Schild, T.; Scola, L.

2014-01-01

In the framework of general studies currently carried out at CEA/Saclay in collaboration with Sigmaphi Company on dry MgB2 magnet operating at 10 K and medium range field, 1 T up to 4 T., we plan to build a prototype-coil with a commercial MgB2 wire. This coil, the nominal axial magnetic field of which is 1 tesla, will be placed in a 3 teslas background field generated by a classical NbTi coil. This paper deals with the preliminary quench protection studies including stability and quench propagation modeling.

Cooling achieved by rotating an anisotropic superconductor in a constant magnetic field: A new perspective

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Manh-Huong Phan

2016-12-01

Full Text Available A new type of rotary coolers based on the temperature change (ΔTrot of an anisotropic superconductor when rotated in a constant magnetic field is proposed. We show that at low temperature the Sommerfeld coefficient γ(B,Θ of a single crystalline superconductor, such as MgB2 and NbS2, sensitively depends on the applied magnetic field (B and the orientation of the crystal axis (Θ, which is related to the electronic entropy (SE and temperature (T via the expression: SE=γT. A simple rotation of the crystal from one axis to one another in a constant magnetic field results in a change in γ and hence SE: ΔSE=ΔγT. A temperature change −ΔTrot ∼ 0.94 K from a bath temperature of 2.5 K is achieved by simply rotating the single crystal MgB2 by 90° with respect to the c-axis direction in a fixed field of 2 T. ΔTrot can be tuned by adjusting the strength of B within a wide magnetic field range. Our study paves the way for development of new materials and cryogenic refrigerators that are potentially more energy-efficient, simplified, and compact.

Superconductors Enable Lower Cost MRI Systems

Science.gov (United States)

2013-01-01

The future looks bright, light, and green, especially where aircraft are concerned. The division of NASA s Fundamental Aeronautics Program called the Subsonic Fixed Wing Project is aiming to reach new heights by 2025-2035, improving the efficiency and environmental impact of air travel by developing new capabilities for cleaner, quieter, and more fuel efficient aircraft. One of the many ways NASA plans to reach its aviation goals is by combining new aircraft configurations with an advanced turboelectric distributed propulsion (TeDP) system. Jeff Trudell, an engineer at Glenn Research Center, says, "The TeDP system consists of gas turbines generating electricity to power a large number of distributed motor-driven fans embedded into the airframe." The combined effect increases the effective bypass ratio and reduces drag to meet future goals. "While room temperature components may help reduce emissions and noise in a TeDP system, cryogenic superconducting electric motors and generators are essential to reduce fuel burn," says Trudell. Superconductors provide significantly higher current densities and smaller and lighter designs than room temperature equivalents. Superconductors are also able to conduct direct current without resistance (loss of energy) below a critical temperature and applied field. Unfortunately, alternating current (AC) losses represent the major part of the heat load and depend on the frequency of the current and applied field. A refrigeration system is necessary to remove the losses and its weight increases with decreasing temperature. In 2001, a material called magnesium diboride (MgB2) was discovered to be superconducting. The challenge, however, has been learning to manufacture MgB2 inexpensively and in long lengths to wind into large coils while meeting the application requirements.

Combined addition of nano diamond and nano SiO2, an effective method to improve the in-field critical current density of MgB2 superconductor

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Rahul, S.; Varghese, Neson; Vinod, K.; Devadas, K.M.; Thomas, Syju; Anees, P.; Chattopadhyay, M.K.; Roy, S.B.; Syamaprasad, U.

2011-01-01

Highlights: → Both nano diamond and nano SiO 2 caused significant modifications in the structural properties of pure MgB 2 sample. → Reduction in T C for the best codoped sample was approximately 2 K. → The best codoped sample yielded a J C , an order of magnitude more than the undoped one at 5 K and 8 T. → The enhanced flux pinning capability provided by the additives is responsible for the improved in-field J C . -- Abstract: MgB 2 bulk samples added with nano SiO 2 and/or nano diamond were prepared by powder-in-sealed-tube (PIST) method and the effects of addition on structural and superconducting properties were studied. X-ray diffraction (XRD) analysis revealed that the addition caused systematic reduction in 'a' lattice parameter due to the substitution of C atoms at B sites and the strain caused by reacted intragrain nano particles of Mg 2 Si as evinced by transmission electron microscope image. Scanning electron microscopy images showed distinct microstructural variations with SiO 2 /diamond addition. It was evident from DC magnetization measurements that the in-field critical current density [J C (H)] of doped samples did not fall drastically like the undoped sample. Among the doped samples the J C (H) of co-doped samples were significantly higher and the best co-doped sample yielded a J C , an order of magnitude more than the undoped one at 5 K and 8 T.

NMR relaxation rates and Knight shifts in MgB2 and AlB2: theory versus experiments

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Pavarini, E; Baek, S H; Suh, B J; Borsa, F; Bud'ko, S L; Canfield, P C

2003-01-01

We have performed 11 B NMR measurements in 11 B enriched MgB 2 powder sample in the normal phase. The Knight shift was accurately determined by using the magic angle spinning technique. Results for 11 B and 27 Al Knight shifts (K) and relaxation rates (1/T 1 ) are also reported for AlB 2 . The data show a dramatic decrease of both K and 1/T 1 for 11 B in AlB 2 with respect to MgB 2 . We compare experimental results with ab initio calculated NMR relaxation rates and Knight shifts. The experimental values for 1/T 1 and K are in most cases in good agreement with the theoretical results. We show that the decrease of K and 1/T 1 for 11 B is consistent with a drastic drop of the density of states at the boron site in AlB 2 with respect to MgB 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)

Ball-milling and AlB2 addition effects on the hydrogen sorption properties of the CaH2 + MgB2 system

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Schiavo, B.; Girella, A.; Agresti, F.; Capurso, G.; Milanese, C.

2011-01-01

Research highlights: → Calcium hydride + magnesium-aluminum borides as candidates for hydrogen storage. → Long time ball milling improves hydrogen sorption kinetics of the CaH 2 +MgB 2 system. → Coexistence of MgB 2 and AlB 2 does not improve hydrogen sorption performances. → Total substitution of MgB 2 with AlB 2 improves the system kinetics and reversibility. → Below 400 deg. C almost the full hydrogen capacity of the CaH 2 + AlB 2 system is reached. - Abstract: Among the borohydrides proposed for solid state hydrogen storage, Ca(BH 4 ) 2 is particularly interesting because of its favourable thermodynamics and relatively cheap price. Composite systems, where other species are present in addition to the borohydride, show some advantages in hydrogen sorption properties with respect to the borohydrides alone, despite a reduction of the theoretical storage capacity. We have investigated the milling time influence on the sorption properties of the CaH 2 + MgB 2 system from which Ca(BH 4 ) 2 and MgH 2 can be synthesized by hydrogen absorption process. Manometric and calorimetric measurements showed better kinetics for long time milled samples. We found that the total substitution of MgB 2 with AlB 2 in the starting material can improve the sorption properties significantly, while the co-existence of both magnesium and aluminum borides in the starting mixture did not cause any improvement. Rietveld refinements of the X-ray powder diffraction spectra were used to confirm the hypothesized reactions.

Design, manufacturing and tests of first cryogen-free MgB2 prototype coils for offshore wind generators

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Sarmiento, G; Sanz, S; Pujana, A; Merino, J M; Apiñaniz, S; Marino, I; Iturbe, R; Nardelli, D

2014-01-01

Although renewable sector has started to take advantage of the offshore wind energy recently, the development is very intense. Turbines reliability, size, and cost are key aspects for the wind industry, especially in marine locations. A superconducting generator will allow a significant reduction in terms of weight and size, but cost and reliability are two aspects to deal with. MgB 2 wire is presented as one promising option to be used in superconducting coils for wind generators. This work shows the experimental results in first cryogen-free MgB 2 prototype coils, designed according to specific requirements of TECNALIA's wind generator concept.

Defect structures in MgB2 wires introduced by hot isostatic pressing

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Liao, X Z; Serquis, A; Zhu, Y T; Civale, L; Hammon, D L; Peterson, D E; Mueller, F M; Nesterenko, V F; Gu, Y

2003-01-01

The microstructures of MgB 2 wires prepared by the powder-in-tube technique and subsequent hot isostatic pressing were investigated using transmission electron microscopy. A large amount of crystalline defects including small-angle twisting, tilting and bending boundaries, in which high densities of dislocations reside, was found forming sub-grains within MgB 2 grains. It is believed that these defects resulted from particle deformation during the hot isostatic pressing process and are effective flux pinning centres that contribute to the high critical current densities of the wires at high temperatures and at high fields

The Raman spectrum and lattice parameters of MgB2 as a function of temperature

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Shi Lei; Zhang Huarong; Chen Lin; Feng Yong

2004-01-01

The temperature dependences of the Raman spectrum and lattice parameters of polycrystalline MgB 2 have been investigated by means of Raman spectroscopy and x-ray diffraction. It is found that the lattice parameters show an approximately linear change with the temperature decrease, giving different thermal expansions along the a- and c-axes, which is caused by the comparatively weak metal-boron bonding in MgB 2 . The grain size of MgB 2 determined by means of x-ray diffraction is around 45 nm for both [100] and [001] directions. There is no evidence for any structural transition while the temperature changes from 300 K down to 12 K. An anomalous Raman band at 603 cm -1 is observed, which is consistent with the theoretical prediction for the E 2g in-plane boron stretching mode. The Raman frequency increases and the linewidth decreases as the temperature decreases. A possible origin of the temperature dependences of the Raman frequency and the linewidth is discussed. It is suggested that the grain size effect of MgB 2 on the nanometric scale will have a clear influence on the frequency and the linewidth of the Raman spectrum

Evolution of gap anisotropy with doping carriers in LixZrNCl superconductors

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Kasahara, Y.; Kishiume, T.; Takano, T.; Kobayashi, K.; Matsuoka, E.; Onodera, H.; Kuroki, K.; Taguchi, Y.; Iwasa, Y.

2010-01-01

We have performed specific heat measurements on the electron-doped layered Li x ZrNCl superconductors with systematically controlled x. It has been found that, at the lowest doping x ∼ 0.07, field dependence of the electronic specific heat γ(H) exhibits almost linear increase up to the upper critical field H c2 . Contrastingly, at higher doping (x > 0.10), γ(H) shows steep increase well below H c2 . These results indicate that the anisotropy of the superconducting gap evolves with increasing carrier density, in accord with a prediction by very recent theoretical calculation that takes into account Coulomb interactions in a doped band insulator with honeycomb lattice.

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

Intralayer and interlayer spin-singlet pairing and energy gap functions with different possible symmetries in high-Tc layered superconductors

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

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

1997-01-01

Anisotropy and the wave-vector dependence of the energy gap function determine many important properties of a superconductor. Starting from first principles, we present here a complete analysis of possible symmetries of the superconducting gap function E g (k) at the Fermi surface in high-T c layered superconductors with either a simple orthorhombic or a tetragonal unit cell. This is done within the framework of Gorkov close-quote s mean-field theory of superconductivity in the so-called open-quotes layer representationclose quotes introduced by us earlier. For N conducting cuprate layers, J=1,2,hor-ellipsis,N, in each unit cell, the spin-singlet order parameters Δ JJ (k) can be expanded in terms of possible basis functions of all the irreducible representations relevant to layered crystals, which are obtained here. In layered materials, the symmetry is restricted to the translational lattice periodicity in the direction perpendicular to the layers and the residual point group and translational symmetries for the two-dimensional unit cell in each layer of the three-dimensional unit cell. We derive an exact general relation to determine different branches of the energy gap function E g (k) at the Fermi surface in terms of Δ JJ (k), which include both intralayer and interlayer order parameters. For N=2, we also obtain an exact expression for quasiparticle energies E p (k), p=1,2, in the superconducting state in the presence of intralayer and complex interlayer order parameters as well as complex tunneling matrix elements between the two layers in the unit cell, which need not be equivalent. The form of the possible basis functions are also listed in terms of cylindrical coordinates k t ,φ,k z to take advantage of the orthogonality of functions with respect to φ integrations. (Abstract Truncated)

Hysteresis losses in MgB₂ superconductors exposed to combinations of low AC and high DC magnetic fields and transport currents

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Magnusson, N.; Abrahamsen, Asger Bech; Liu, Dawei

2014-01-01

MgB2 superconductors are considered for generator field coils for direct drive wind turbine generators. In such coils, the losses generated by AC magnetic fields may generate excessive local heating and add to the thermal load, which must be removed by the cooling system. These losses must...... a simplified theoretical treatment of the hysteresis losses based on available models in the literature with the aim of setting the basis for estimation of the allowable magnetic fields and current ripples in superconducting generator coils intended for large wind turbine direct drive generators. The resulting...

Preparation of MgB2 superconducting microbridges by focused ion beam direct milling

Science.gov (United States)

Zhang, Xuena; Li, Yanli; Xu, Zhuang; Kong, Xiangdong; Han, Li

2017-01-01

MgB2 superconducting microbridges were prepared by focused ion beam (FIB) direct milling on MgB2 films. The surface topography of the microbridges were observed using SEM and AFM and the superconductivity was measured in this paper. Lots of cracks and holes were found near the milled area. And the superconducting transition temperature was decreased a lot and the bridges prepared were not superconducting due to ion damage after milled with large dose. Through these works, we explored the effect regular of FIB milling and experimental parameters on the performance of microbridges.

Growth of high-quality large-area MgB2 thin films by reactive evaporation

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Moeckly, B H; Ruby, W S

2006-01-01

We report a new in situ reactive deposition thin film growth technique for the production of MgB 2 thin films which offers several advantages over all existing methods and is the first deposition method to enable the production of high-quality MgB 2 films for real-world applications. We have used this growth method, which incorporates a rotating pocket heater, to deposit MgB 2 films on a variety of substrates, including single-crystalline, polycrystalline, metallic, and semiconductor materials up to 4 inch in diameter. This technique allows growth of double-sided, large-area films in the intermediate temperature range of 400-600 deg. C. These films are clean, well-connected, and consistently display T c values of 38-39 K with low resistivity and residual resistivity values. They are also robust and uncommonly stable upon exposure to atmosphere and water. (rapid communication)

Laser-induced thermoelectric voltage in normal state MgB2 thin films

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Zhao Songqing; Zhou Yueliang; Zhao Kun; Wang Shufang; Chen Zhenghao; Jin Kuijuan; Lue Huibin; Cheng Bolin; Yang Guozhen

2006-01-01

Laser-induced voltage has been observed in c-axis oriented MgB 2 thin film at room temperature. The amplitude of the signal is approximately proportional to the film thickness. For the film with the thickness of 150 nm, a very fast response has been detected when the film was irradiated by a 308 nm pulsed laser of 20 ns duration. The rise time and full width at half-maximum of the signal are about 3 and 25 ns, respectively. The physical origin of the laser-induced voltage can be attributed to a transverse thermoelectricity due to the anisotropic thermopower in MgB 2

Superior critical current density obtained in MgB_2 bulks via employing carbon-coated boron and minor Cu addition

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Peng, Junming; Liu, Yongchang; Ma, Zongqing; Shahriar Al Hossain, M.; Xin, Ying; Jin, Jianxun

2016-01-01

Highlights: • Usage of carbon-coated boron leads to high level of homogeneous carbon doping. • Cu addition improves MgB_2 grain connectivity, leading to higher J_c at low fields. • Cu addition reduces MgO impurity, also contributing to the improvement of J_c. - Abstract: High performance Cu doped MgB_2 bulks were prepared by an in-situ method with carbon-coated amorphous boron as precursor. It was found that the usage of carbon-coated boron in present work leads to the formation of uniformly refined MgB_2 grains, as well as a high level of homogeneous carbon doping in the MgB_2 samples, which significantly enhance the J_c in both Cu doped and undoped bulks compared to MgB_2 bulks with normal amorphous boron precursor. Moreover, minor Cu can service as activator, and thus facilitates the growth of MgB_2 grains and improves crystallinity and grain connectivity, which can bring about the excellent critical current density (J_c) at self fields and low fields (the best values are 7 × 10"5 A/cm"2 at self fields, and 1 × 10"5 A/cm"2 at 2 T, 20 K, respectively). Simultaneously, minor Cu addition can reduce the amount of MgO impurity significantly, also contributing to the improvement of J_c at low fields. Our work suggests that Cu-activated sintering combined with employment of carbon-coated amorphous boron as precursor could be a promising technique to produce practical MgB_2 bulks or wires with excellent J_c on an industrial scale.

The Influence of CuFe2O4 Nanoparticles on Superconductivity of MgB2

Science.gov (United States)

Novosel, Nikolina; Pajić, Damir; Skoko, Željko; Mustapić, Mislav; Babić, Emil; Zadro, Krešo; Horvat, Joseph

The influence of CuFe2O4 nanoparticle doping on superconducting properties of Fe-sheated MgB2 wires has been studied. The wires containing 0, 3 and 7.5 wt.% of monodisperse superparamagnetic nanoparticles (˜7 nm) were sintered at 650°C or 750°C for 1 hour in the pure argon atmosphere. X-ray diffraction patterns of doped samples showed very small maxima corresponding to iron boride and an increase in the fraction of MgO phase indicating some interaction of nanoparticles with Mg and B. Both magnetic and transport measurements (performed in the temperature range 2-42 K and magnetic field up to 16 T) showed strong deterioration of the superconducting properties upon doping with CuFe2O4. The transition temperatures, Tc, of doped samples decreased for about 1.4 K per wt.% of CuFe2O4. Also, the irreversibility fields Birr(T) decreased progressively with increasing doping. Accordingly, also the suppression of Jc with magnetic field became stronger. The observed strong deterioration of superconducting properties of MgB2 wires is at variance with reported enhancement of critical currents at higher temperatures (determined from magnetization) in bulk MgB2 samples doped with Fe3O4 nanoparticles. The probable reason for this discrepancy is briefly discussed

The microwave surface impedance of MgB2 thin films

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Purnell, A J; Zhukov, A A; Nurgaliev, T; Lamura, G; Bugoslavsky, Y; Lockman, Z; MacManus-Driscoll, J L; Zhai, H Y; Christen, H M; Paranthaman, M P; Lowndes, D H; Jo, M H; Blamire, M G; Hao, Ling; Gallop, J C; Cohen, L F

2003-01-01

In this paper we present the results of measurements of the microwave surface impedance of a powder sample and two films of MgB 2 . The powder sample has a T c = 39 K and the films have T c = 29 K and 38 K. These samples show different temperature dependences of the field penetration depth. Over a period of six months, the film with T c = 38 K degraded to a T c of 35 K. We compare the results on all samples with data obtained elsewhere and discuss the implications as far as is possible at this stage

Behaviour of filamentary MgB2 wires subjected to tensile stress at 4.2 K

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Kováč, P; Kopera, L; Melišek, T; Hušek, I; Rindfleisch, M; Haessler, W

2013-01-01

Different filamentary MgB 2 wires have been subjected to tensile stress at 4.2 K. Stress–strain and critical current versus stress and strain characteristics of wires differing by filament architecture, sheath materials, deformation and heat treatment were measured and compared. It was found that the linear increase of critical current due to the pre-compression effect (ranging from 5% up to ≈20%) is affected by thermal expansion and the strength of used metallic sheaths. The values of irreversible strain ε irr and stress σ irr depend dominantly on the applied outer sheath and its final heat treatment conditions. Consequently, the strain-tolerance of MgB 2 wires is influenced by several parameters and it is difficult to see a clear relation between I c (ε) and σ(ε) characteristics. The lowest ε irr was measured for Monel sheathed wires (0.3–0.6%), medium for GlidCop ® sheath (0.48–0.6%), and the highest ε irr = 0.6–0.9% were obtained for MgB 2 wires reinforced by the stainless steel 316L annealed at temperature between 600 and 800 ° C. The highest ε irr = 0.9% and σ irr = 900 MPa were measured for the work-hardened steel, which is not considerably softened by the heat treatment at 600 ° C/2.5 h. (paper)

Low-field vortex pinning model for undoped sintered MgB2 powders

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Agassi, Y D

2011-01-01

Sintered MgB 2 powders constitute a porous ensemble of irregularly shaped agglomerates of tightly packed grains. The low-field critical current density in such powders was experimentally observed to scale with the inverse of the average agglomerate size. Motivated by this observation we consider a flux pinning model which accounts for the MgB 2 powder porosity by focusing on a single finite-size agglomerate size. According to the model the observed critical current density dependence on the agglomerate size reflects the outward pull exerted on a vortex that is pinned in proximity to the agglomerate edges. The calculated critical current density replicates the observed scaling within agglomerate-size bounds. Implications of the model are discussed.

Synthesis and crystal structure of MgB12

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Adasch, Volker; Hess, Kai-Uwe; Ludwig, Thilo; Vojteer, Natascha; Hillebrecht, Harald

2006-01-01

Single crystals of MgB 12 were synthesized from the elements in a Mg/Cu melt at 1600deg. C. MgB 12 crystallizes orthorhombic in space group Pnma with a=16.632(3)A, b=17.803(4)A and c=10.396(2)A. The crystal structure (Z=30, 5796 reflections, 510 variables, R 1 (F)=0.049, wR 2 (I)=0.134) consists of a three dimensional net of B 12 icosahedra and B 21 units in a ratio 2:1. The B 21 units are observed for the first time in a solid compound. Mg is on positions with partial occupation. The summation reveals the composition MgB 12.35 or Mg 0.97 B 12 , respectively. This is in good agreement with the value of MgB 11.25 as expected by electronic reasons to stabilize the boron polyhedra B 12 2- and B 21 4-

Microstructural and crystallographic imperfections of MgB2 superconducting wire and their correlation with the critical current density

Science.gov (United States)

Shahabuddin, Mohammed; Alzayed, Nasser S.; Oh, Sangjun; Choi, Seyong; Maeda, Minoru; Hata, Satoshi; Shimada, Yusuke; Hossain, Md Shahriar Al; Kim, Jung Ho

2014-01-01

A comprehensive study of the effects of structural imperfections in MgB2 superconducting wire has been conducted. As the sintering temperature becomes lower, the structural imperfections of the MgB2 material are increased, as reflected by detailed X-ray refinement and the normal state resistivity. The crystalline imperfections, caused by lattice disorder, directly affect the impurity scattering between the π and σ bands of MgB2, resulting in a larger upper critical field. In addition, low sintering temperature keeps the grain size small, which leads to a strong enhancement of pinning, and thereby, enhanced critical current density. Owing to both the impurity scattering and the grain boundary pinning, the critical current density, irreversibility field, and upper critical field are enhanced. Residual voids or porosities obviously remain in the MgB2, however, even at low sintering temperature, and thus block current transport paths.

Transport properties and exponential n-values of Fe/MgB2 tapes with various MgB2 particle sizes

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Lezza, P.; Abaecherli, V.; Clayton, N.; Senatore, C.; Uglietti, D.; Suo, H.L.; Fluekiger, R.

2004-01-01

Fe/MgB 2 tapes have been prepared starting with pre-reacted binary MgB 2 powders. As shown by resistive and inductive measurements, the reduction of particle size to a few microns by ball milling has little influence on B c2 , while the superconducting properties of the individual MgB 2 grains are essentially unchanged. Reducing the particle size causes an enhancement of B irr from 14 to 16 T, while J c has considerably increased at high fields, its slope J c (B) being reduced. At 4.2 K, values of 5.3 x 10 4 and 1.2 x 10 3 A/cm 2 were measured at 3.5 and 10 T, respectively, suggesting a dominant role of the conditions at the grain interfaces. A systematic variation of these conditions at the interfaces is undertaken in order to determine the limit of transport properties for Fe/MgB 2 tapes. The addition of 5% Mg to MgB 2 powder was found to affect neither J c nor B c2 . For the tapes with the highest J c values, very high exponential n factors were measured: n=148, 89 and 17 at 3.5, 5 and 10 T, respectively and measurements of critical current versus applied strain have been performed. The mechanism leading to high transport critical current densities of filamentary Fe/MgB 2 tapes based on MgB 2 particles is discussed

Flux pinning properties of impurity doped MgB2 bulks synthesized by diffusion method

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Ueda, Shinya; Shimoyama, Jun-ichi; Yamamoto, Akiyasu; Katsura, Yukari; Iwayama, Isao; Horii, Shigeru; Kishio, Kohji

2005-01-01

Doping effects of carbon-containing impurities on the critical current properties and microstructure were systematically studied for highly dense MgB 2 bulks prepared by the diffusion method starting from magnesium and boron which are separately packed in sealed stainless tubes. Obtained samples exhibited improved critical current density, J c , simply by an increase of effective current pass. A non-doped MgB 2 recorded almost double high J c at 20 K compared with those of the conventional porous MgB 2 bulks having ∼50% of the theoretical density, while irreversibility field, H irr , did not largely change. J c under high magnetic fields were enhanced by doping of carbon-containing impurities, such as SiC and B 4 C. Optimal doping levels of SiC and B 4 C for high critical current properties at 20 K are found to be ∼2% and 5%, respectively, as nominal carbon concentration at boron site. Difference in the optimal doping levels is originated from the difference in their reactivity

MgB2 for Application to RF Cavities for Accelerators

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Tajima, T.; Canabal, A.; Zhao, Y.; Romanenko, A.; Moeckly, B.H.; Nantista, C.D.; Tantawi, S.; Phillips, L.; Iwashita, Y.; Campisi, I.E.

2007-01-01

Magnesium diboride (MgB 2 ) has a transition temperature (T c ) of ∼40 K, i.e., about 4 times as high as that of niobium (Nb).We have been evaluating MgB 2 as a candidate material for radio-frequency (RF) cavities for future particle accelerators. Studies in the last 3 years have shown that it could have about one order of magnitude less RF surface resistance (Rs) than Nb at 4 K. A power dependence test using a 6 GHz TE011 mode cavity has shown little power dependence up to ∼12 mT (120 Oe), limited by available power, compared to other high-Tc materials such as YBCO. A recent study showed, however, that the power dependence of Rs is dependent on the coating method. A film made with on-axis pulsed laser deposition (PLD) has showed rapid increase in Rs compared to the film deposited by reactive evaporation method. This paper shows these results as well as future plans

Pinning enhancement in MgB2 superconducting thin films by ...

Indian Academy of Sciences (India)

The magnetic field dependence of the critical current density Jc was calculated from the M–H loops and magnetic field dependence of ... MgB2 thin film; Fe2O3 nanoparticles; critical current density; r-plane Al2O3 substrate. 1. Introduction. The discovery of ... It was thought that from these cal- culations, one can choose an ...

Phase 1 Final Technical Report - MgB2 Synthesis: Pushing to High Field Performance

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Bhatia, Mohit; McIntyre, Peter

2009-01-01

crystalline boron results in the formation of parasitic phases such as MgB4, MgB7, etc. Such parasitic phases are a primary element of the connectivity problem, in which even though a sample powder may contain grains of high-quality MgB2, adjacent grains are surrounded by intergrowths of parasitic phases so that current trans-port is badly degraded. The best results to date have been obtained using boron powder produced long ago for a rocket propellant development project. The synthesis process was complex and is now largely lost, and the manufacturing equipment has long since been scrapped. The last batch of the powder has been used during recent years to support MgB2 R and D at several labs, but supplies are dwindling. ATC has identified a first application of its plasma torch to synthesize phase-pure amorphous boron flake using a rapid-quench splat technique. Inexpensive technical-grade boron would be purified of contaminants, then dispersed as an aerosol in inert gas and passed through the plasma torch to melt it into a spray. The spray would be splat-condensed on a rotating drum to form pure amorphous flake. The process would begin with technical-grade boron powder, having good stoichiometric purity, nanoscale particles, but significant contamination of MgO and crystalline boron. We used wet chemistry to remove B2O3 completely and reduced the MgO impurity, and analyzed the particle size distribution using a Coulter counter and the phase composition using X-ray diffrac-tion (XRD). The next step will be to build an rf plasma torch with a recirculating single-component aerosol feed and the cooled splat drum and collector, and undertake process devel-opment for amorphous boron powder. This revised goal has two benefits. First, it is an easier technology than our ultimate goal of a multi-component laminar flow torch. We have been counseled by those experienced in plasma torch technology that our ultimate goal will require a torch that should be feasible but has never been

SHMUTZ & PROTON-DIAMANT H + Irradiated/Written-Hyper/Super-conductivity(HC/SC) Precognizance/Early Experiments Connections: Wet-Graphite Room-Tc & Actualized MgB2 High-Tc: Connection to Mechanical Bulk-Moduli/Hardness: Diamond Hydrocarbon-Filaments, Disorder, Nano-Powders:C,Bi,TiB2,TiC

Science.gov (United States)

Wunderman, Irwin; Siegel, Edward Carl-Ludwig; Lewis, Thomas; Young, Frederic; Smith, Adolph; Dresschhoff-Zeller, Gieselle

2013-03-01

SHMUTZ: ``wet-graphite''Scheike-....[Adv.Mtls.(7/16/12)]hyper/super-SCHMUTZ-conductor(S!!!) = ``wet''(?)-``graphite''(?) = ``graphene''(?) = water(?) = hydrogen(?) =ultra-heavy proton-bands(???) = ...(???) claimed room/high-Tc/high-Jc superconductOR ``p''-``wave''/ BAND(!!!) superconductIVITY and actualized/ instantiated MgB2 high-Tc superconductors and their BCS- superconductivity: Tc Siegel[ICMAO(77);JMMM 7,190(78)] connection to SiegelJ.Nonxline-Sol.40,453(80)] disorder/amorphous-superconductivity in nano-powders mechanical bulk/shear(?)-moduli/hardness: proton-irradiated diamond, powders TiB2, TiC,{Siegel[Semis. & Insuls.5:39,47, 62 (79)])-...``VS''/concommitance with Siegel[Phys.Stat.Sol.(a)11,45(72)]-Dempsey [Phil.Mag. 8,86,285(63)]-Overhauser-(Little!!!)-Seitz-Smith-Zeller-Dreschoff-Antonoff-Young-...proton-``irradiated''/ implanted/ thermalized-in-(optimal: BOTH heat-capacity/heat-sink & insulator/maximal dielectric-constant) diamond: ``VS'' ``hambergite-borate-mineral transformable to Overhauser optimal-high-Tc-LiBD2 in Overhauser-(NW-periodic-table)-Land: CO2/CH4-ETERNAL-sequestration by-product: WATER!!!: physics lessons from

The effect of copper additions in the synthesis of in situ MgB2 Cu-sheathed wires

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Woźniak, M.; Hopkins, S.C.; Gajda, D.; Glowacki, B.A.

2012-01-01

The powder-in-tube (PIT) technique has been used to fabricate copper-sheathed magnesium diboride (MgB 2 ) wires using an insitu reaction method. The effect of copper powder additions, magnesium-boron molar ratio and heat treatment is studied by SEM, XRD, transport critical current I c (B) and resistivity ρ(T, B) measurements. The results show that addition of copper powder to the core of the wire accelerates the formation of MgB 2 and hence increases its amount and greatly decreases the amount of Mg-Cu intermetallic phases present in the core of the wire after heat treatment. Excess magnesium proved to be effective in compensating for Mg loss due to interdiffusion with the Cu of the wire sheath and resulted in less unreacted boron in the core for wires without added Cu, but seems to oppose the accelerated formation of MgB 2 in Cu added wires. The highest critical current density, 2.8 × 10 4 A cm -2 at 3 T and 4.2 K, was achieved for a wire with a stoichiometric Mg:B ratio and 3 at.% added copper powder heat treated at 700 °C for 5 min.

Scaling behavior of mixed-state hall effect in MgB2 thin films

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Jung, Soon-Gil; Seong, W.K.; Kang, W.N.; Choi, Eun-Mi; Kim, Heon-Jung; Lee, Sung-Ik; Kim, Hyeong-Jin; Kim, H.C.

2006-01-01

The Hall resistivity (ρ xy ) and the longitudinal resistivity (ρ xx ) in c-axis-oriented superconducting MgB 2 thin films have been investigated in extended fields up to 18T. We have observed a scaling behavior between the Hall resistivity and the longitudinal resistivity, ρ xy =Aρ xx β , where the exponent (β) is observed to be independent of the temperatures and the magnetic fields. For a wide magnetic field region from 1 to 18T and a wide temperature region from 10 to 28K, a universal power law with β=2.0+/-0.1 was observed in c-axis-oriented MgB 2 thin films. These results can be well interpreted by using recent models

Theoretical and Experimental Evidence for a Nodal Energy Gap in MgB2

Science.gov (United States)

2017-02-17

the larger gap, the so-called  gap, is a conventional s wave. The model is an extension of the BCS theory that accounts for the elastic anisotropy...obeys the BCS-theory textbook expression that is characterized by an exponential temperature dependence, specifically,[17,18]    2 TS RESR T R C f...that was based on measurement of the IMD [3]. Accounting for the  energy-gap contribution at higher temperatures lies outside the scope of this work

The inclusions of Mg-B (MgB12?) as potential pinning centres in high-pressure-high-temperature-synthesized or sintered magnesium diboride

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Prikhna, T A; Gawalek, W; Savchuk, Ya M; Habisreuther, T; Wendt, M; Sergienko, N V; Moshchil, V E; Nagorny, P; Schmidt, Ch; Dellith, J; Dittrich, U; Litzkendorf, D; Melnikov, V S; Sverdun, V B

2007-01-01

A systematic study of the structure and superconductive characteristics of high-pressure-high-temperature (2 GPa, 700-1000 deg. C )-synthesized and sintered MgB 2 without additions from different initial powders was performed. Among various secondary phases Mg-B inclusions with a stoichiometry close to MgB 12 were identified. With an increasing amount of these inclusions the critical current density increased. So these inclusions can be feasible pinning centres in MgB 2 . The highest j c values in zero field were 1300 kA cm -2 at 10 K, 780 kA cm -2 at 20 K and 62 kA cm -2 at 35 K and in 1 T field were 1200 kA cm -2 at 10 K, 515 kA cm -2 at 20 K and 0.1 kA cm -2 at 35 K for high-pressure-synthesized magnesium diboride and the field of irreversibility at 20 K reached 8 T. The average grain sizes calculated from x-ray examinations in materials having high j c were 15-37 nm

MgB2-Based Bolometer Array for Far Infra-Red Thermal Imaging and Fourier Transform Spectroscopy Applications

Science.gov (United States)

Lakew, B.; Aslam, S.; Brasunas, J.

2012-01-01

The mid-superconducting critical temperature (T(sub c) approximately 39 K) of the simple binary, intermetallic MgB, [1] makes it a very good candidate for the development of the next generation of electrooptical devices (e.g. [2]). In particular, recent advances in thin film deposition teclmiques to attain higb quality polycrystalline thin film MgB, deposited on SiN-Si substrates, with T(sub c) approximately 38K [3] coupled with the low voltage noise performance of the film [4] makes it higbly desirable for the development of moderately cooled bolometer arrays for integration into future space-bourne far infra-red (FIR) spectrometers and thermal mappers for studying the outer planets, their icy moons and other moons of interest in the 17-250 micrometer spectral wavelength range. Presently, commercially available pyroelectric detectors operating at 300 K have specific detectivity, D(*), around 7 x 10(exp 8) to 2 x 10(exp 9) centimeters square root of Hz/W. However, a MgB2 thin film based bolometer using a low-stress (less than 140 MPa) SiN membrane isolated from the substrate by a small thermal conductive link, operating at 38 K, promises to have two orders of magnitude higher specific detectivity [5][6].

Fabrication and properties of multifilamentary MgB 2 wires by in-situ powder-in-tube process

Science.gov (United States)

Wang, Q. Y.; Jiao, G. F.; Liu, G. Q.; Xiong, X. M.; Yan, S. C.; Zhang, P. X.; Sulpice, A.; Mossang, E.; Feng, Y.; Yan, G.

2010-11-01

We have fabricated the long TiC-doped MgB2 wires with 6 filaments by in-situ powder-in-tube method using Nb as the barrier and copper as the stabilizer. To improve the strength of wires, the Nb-core was used as the central filament. The transport engineering critical current density (Jce) of the samples sintered at different temperature were measured, which reaches 2.5 × 104 A/cm2 at 4.2 K, 5 T. 100 m MgB2 wires with different diameter were wound into coils and the transport critical current (Ic) of the coil were measured at 30 K in self-field. The Jce value 100 m coil achieves 1.1 × 104 A/cm2 in 1.2 mm wire. The reasons leading to the enhancement of high field Jce were discussed. The results show a good potential to fabricate high performance MgB2 wires and tapes at ambient pressure on an industrial scale.

In-situ synchrotron x-ray study of MgB2 formation when doped by SiC

Science.gov (United States)

Abrahamsen, A. B.; Grivel, J.-C.; Andersen, N. H.; Herrmann, M.; Häßler, W.; Birajdar, B.; Eibl, O.; Saksl, K.

2008-02-01

We have studied the evolution of the reaction xMg + 2B + ySiC → zMg1-p(B1-qCq)2 + yMg2Si in samples of 1, 2, 5 and 10 wt% SiC doping. We found a coincident formation of MgB2 and Mg2Si, whereas the crystalline part of the SiC nano particles is not reacting at all. Evidence for incorporation of carbon into the MgB2 phase was established from the decrease of the a-axis lattice parameter upon increasing SiC doping. An estimate of the MgB2 lower limit grain size was found to decrease from L100 = 795 Å and L002 = 337 Å at 1 wt% SiC to L100 = 227 Å and L002= 60 Å at 10 wt% SiC. Thus superconductivity might be suppressed at 10 wt% SiC doping due to the grain size approaching the coherence length.

Fabrication of superconducting MgB2 nanostructures by an electron beam lithography-based technique

Science.gov (United States)

Portesi, C.; Borini, S.; Amato, G.; Monticone, E.

2006-03-01

In this work, we present the results obtained in fabrication and characterization of magnesium diboride nanowires realized by an electron beam lithography (EBL)-based method. For fabricating MgB2 thin films, an all in situ technique has been used, based on the coevaporation of B and Mg by means of an e-gun and a resistive heater, respectively. Since the high temperatures required for the fabrication of good quality MgB2 thin films do not allow the nanostructuring approach based on the lift-off technique, we structured the samples combining EBL, optical lithography, and Ar milling. In this way, reproducible nanowires 1 μm long have been obtained. To illustrate the impact of the MgB2 film processing on its superconducting properties, we measured the temperature dependence of the resistance on a nanowire and compared it to the original magnesium diboride film. The electrical properties of the films are not degraded as a consequence of the nanostructuring process, so that superconducting nanodevices may be obtained by this method.

Angle-resolved photoemission studies of the superconducting gap symmetry in Fe-based superconductors

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Y.-B. Huang

2012-12-01

Full Text Available The superconducting gap is the fundamental parameter that characterizes the superconducting state, and its symmetry is a direct consequence of the mechanism responsible for Cooper pairing. Here we discuss about angle-resolved photoemission spectroscopy measurements of the superconducting gap in the Fe-based high-temperature superconductors. We show that the superconducting gap is Fermi surface dependent and nodeless with small anisotropy, or more precisely, a function of the momentum location in the Brillouin zone. We show that while this observation seems inconsistent with weak coupling approaches for superconductivity in these materials, it is well supported by strong coupling models and global superconducting gaps. We also suggest that a smaller lifetime of the superconducting Cooper pairs induced by the momentum dependent interband scattering inherent to these materials could affect the residual density of states at low energies, which is critical for a proper evaluation of the superconducting gap.

Coupling between magnetic and superconducting order parameters and evidence for the spin excitation gap in the superconducting state of a heavy fermion superconductor UPd2Al3

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Metoki, Naoto; Haga, Yoshinori; Koike, Yoshihiro; Aso, Naofumi; Onuki, Yoshichika

1997-01-01

Neutron scattering experiments have been carried out in order to study the interplay between magnetism and superconductivity in a heavy fermion superconductor, UPd 2 Al 3 . We have observed 1% suppression of the (0 0 0.5) magnetic peak intensity below the superconducting transition temperature T c . This is direct evidence for the coupling of the magnetic order parameter with the superconducting one. Furthermore, we have observed a spin excitation gap associated with superconductivity. The gap energy ΔE g increases continuously from ΔE g =0 to 0.4 meV with decreasing temperature from T c to 0.4 K. This gap energy corresponds to 2k B T c , which is smaller than the superconducting gap expected from the BCS theory (3.5k B T c ). These results are indicative of the strong interplay between magnetism and superconductivity. (author)

Composite superconducting MgB2 wires made by continuous process

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Kutukcu, Mehmet; Atamert, Serdar; Scandella, Jean Louis; Hopstock, Ron; Blackwood, Alexander C.; Dhulst, Chris; Mestdagh, Jan; Nijhuis, Arend; Glowacki, Bartek A.

Previously developed manufacturing technology of a low-cost composite single core MgB2 superconductive wires has been investigated in details using monel sheath and titanium diffusion barrier. In this process Mg and nano-sized B as well as SiC dopant powders were fed continuously to a "U" shaped

Composite superconducting MgB2 wires made by continuous process

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Kutukcu, Mehmet; Atamert, Serdar; Scandella, Jean Louis; Hopstock, Ron; Blackwood, Alexander C.; Dhulst, Chris; Mestdagh, Jan; Nijhuis, Arend; Glowacki, Bartek A.

2018-01-01

Previously developed manufacturing technology of a low-cost composite single core MgB2 superconductive wires has been investigated in details using monel sheath and titanium diffusion barrier. In this process Mg and nano-sized B as well as SiC dopant powders were fed continuously to a "U" shaped

MgB2 ultrathin films fabricated by hybrid physical chemical vapor deposition and ion milling

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Narendra Acharya

2016-08-01

Full Text Available In this letter, we report on the structural and transport measurements of ultrathin MgB2 films grown by hybrid physical-chemical vapor deposition followed by low incident angle Ar ion milling. The ultrathin films as thin as 1.8 nm, or 6 unit cells, exhibit excellent superconducting properties such as high critical temperature (Tc and high critical current density (Jc. The results show the great potential of these ultrathin films for superconducting devices and present a possibility to explore superconductivity in MgB2 at the 2D limit.

Development of ex situ processed MgB2 wires and their applications to magnets

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Braccini, Valeria; Nardelli, Davide; Penco, Roberto; Grasso, Giovanni

2007-01-01

In spite of the relatively short time dedicated to the development of magnesium diboride conductors since its discovery in early 2001, a substantial improvement was soon achieved in their manufacture and use. Unlike many others HTS and LTS materials, the MgB 2 conductor processing is more open to a number of improvements and modifications that help in making it more attractive for several DC and AC applications. Many kilometres of conductors were already produced throughout the world and it is now possible to start seriously thinking about a systematic industrial production of this material, as it is already possible to purchase it in reasonable lengths on the free market. These remarkable lengths of conductor were also wound in coils and their performance continuously improved in the past years. Here we will present a review of the recent results and a perspective for the future development of this 'new' superconductor, starting from the optimisation of the precursor powders needed to improve the magnetic field behaviour of the tapes, to the conductor development, i.e. the production of multifilamentary Cu-stabilized tapes in lengths up to 1.78 km, to the realization of the first large-scale application devices such as MRI magnets and fault current limiters

Effect of process variables on synthesis of MgB2 by a high energy ball mill

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Kurama Haldun

2016-01-01

Full Text Available The discovery of superconductivity of MgB2 in 2001, with a critical temperature of 39 K, offered the promise of important large-scale applications at around 20 K. Except than the other featured synthesis methods, mechanical activation performed by high energy ball mills, as bulk form synthesis or as a first step of wire and thin film productions, has considered as an effective alternative production route in recent years. The process of mechanical activation (MA starts with mixing the powders in the right proportion and loading the powder mixture into the mill with the grinding media. The milled powder is then consolidated into a bulk shape and heat-treated to obtain desired microstructure and properties. Thus, the important components of the MA process are the raw materials, mill type and process variables. During the MA process, heavy deformation of particles occure. This is manifested by the presence of a variety of crystal defects such as dislocations, vacancies, stacking faults and increased number of particle boundaries. The presence of this defect structure enhances the diffusivity of solute hence the critical currents and magnetic flux pinning ability of MgB2 are improved. The aim of the present study is to determine the effects of process variables such as ball-to-powder mass ratio, size of balls, milling time, annealing temperature and contribution of process control agent (toluene on the product size, morphology and conversion level of precursor powders to MgB2 after subsequent heat treatment. The morphological analyses of the samples were performed by a high vacuum electron microscope ZEISS SUPRA VP 50. The phase compositions of the samples were performed with an Rigaku-Rint 2200 diffractometer, with nickel filtered Cu Kα radiation and conversion level. The MgB2 phase wt % was calculated by the Rietveld refinement method. The obtained results were discussed according to the process variables to find out their affect on the structure

Evidence of multiband superconductivity in the quaternary borocarbide superconductor YNi2B2C using directional point-contact spectroscopy

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Raychaudhuri, Pratap; Sheet, Goutam; Mukhopadhyay, Sourin; Takeya, H.

2007-01-01

In this paper, we review our recent investigations on the gap anisotropy of the quaternary borocarbide superconductor YNi 2 B 2 C using directional point-contact spectroscopy. Through a detailed study of the temperature and magnetic field dependence of the superconducting energy gaps we show that the gap anisotropy in this material originates from electrons on different Fermi sheets having very different Fermi velocities. The gap anisotropy in this material is therefore well explained through a multiband scenario where electrons in different k-directions have very different electron-phonon coupling strength

Gap-related trapped magnetic flux dependence between single and combined bulk superconductors

Science.gov (United States)

Deng, Z.; Miki, M.; Felder, B.; Tsuzuki, K.; Shinohara, N.; Uetake, T.; Izumi, M.

2011-05-01

Aiming at examining the trapped-flux dependence between single and combined bulk superconductors for field-pole applications, three rectangular Y 1.65Ba 2Cu 3O 7-x (YBCO) bulks with a possibly compact combination were employed to investigate the trapped-flux characteristics of single and combined bulks with a field-cooling magnetization (FCM) method. A gap-related dependence was found between them. At lower gaps of 1 mm and 5 mm, the peak trapped fields and total magnetic flux of combined bulks are both smaller than the additive values of each single bulk, which can be ascribed to the demagnetization influences of the field around the bulk generated by the adjacent ones. While, at larger gaps like 10 mm, the situation becomes reversed. The combined bulks can attain bigger peak trapped fields as well as total magnetic flux, which indicates that the magnetic field by the bulk combination can reach higher gaps, thanks to the bigger magnetic energy compared with the single bulk. The presented results show that, on one hand, it is possible to estimate the total trapped magnetic flux of combined bulks by an approximate additive method of each single bulk while considering a demagnetization factor; on the other hand, it also means that the performance of combined bulks will be superior to the addition of each single bulk at larger gaps, thus preferable for large-scaled magnet applications.

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

Enhancement of Jc of MgB2 thin films by introduction of oxygen during deposition

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Mori, Zon; Doi, Toshiya; Hakuraku, Yoshinori; Kitaguchi, Hitoshi

2006-01-01

The introduction of various pinning center are examined as the effective means for improvement of J c of MgB 2 thin films. We have investigated the effects of introduction of oxygen during deposition on the superconducting properties of MgB 2 thin films. MgB 2 thin films were prepared on polished sapphire C(0001) single crystal substrates by using electron beam evaporation technique (EB) without any post-annealing. The background pressure was less than 1.3x10 -6 Pa. The evaporation flux ratio of Mg was set at 30 times as high as that of B, and the growth rate of MgB 2 film was 1nm/s. The film thickness was typically 300nm at 5min deposition. The substrate temperature was 245 deg. C. Under these conditions, we controlled the oxygen partial pressure (P O 2 ) within the range from 1.3x10 -6 to 1.3x10 -3 Pa by using a quadrapole mass spectrometer. Although T c of deposited thin film decreased in order of P O 2 , ΔM in the magnetization hysteresis loops measured from 0 to 6T at 4.2K increased up to 1.3x10 -5 . On the other hand, thin film prepared under P O 2 of 1.3x10 -3 Pa does not show superconducting transition. Between these films, there is no difference in the crystal structure from X-ray diffraction (XRD). These results suggest that the pinning center in the thin films increased by introduction of oxygen. Extremely small amount of oxygen introduction has enabled the control of growth of oxide

Critical current density improvements in MgB2 superconducting bulk samples by K2CO3 additions  

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Grivel, J.-C.

2018-01-01

MgB2 bulk samples with potassium carbonate doping were made by means of reaction of elemental Mg and B powders mixed with various amounts of K2CO3. The Tc of the superconducting phase as well as its a-axis parameter were decreased as a result of carbon doping. Potassium escaped the samples during...... reaction. The critical current density of MgB2 was improved both in self field and under applied magnetic field for T ≤ 30 K, with optimum results for 1 mol% K2CO3 addition. The normalized flux pinning force (f(b)) shows that the flux pinning mechanism at low field is similar for all samples, following...

A possibility of enhancing Jc in MgB2 film grown on metallic hastelloy tape with the use of SiC buffer layer

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Putri, W. B. K.; Kang, B.; Ranot, M.; Lee, J. H.; Kang, W. N.

2014-01-01

We have grown MgB 2 on SiC buffer layer by using metallic Hastelloy tape as the substrate. Hastelloy tape was chosen for its potential practical applications, mainly in the power cable industry. SiC buffer layers were deposited on Hastelloy tapes at 400, 500, and 600 degrees C by using a pulsed laser deposition method, and then by using a hybrid physical-chemical vapor deposition technique, MgB 2 films were grown on the three different SiC buffer layers. An enhancement of critical current density values were noticed in the MgB 2 films on SiC/Hastelloy deposited at 500 and 600 degrees C. From the surface analysis, smaller and denser grains of MgB 2 tapes are likely to cause this enhancement. This result infers that the addition of SiC buffer layers may contribute to the improvement of superconducting properties of MgB 2 tapes.

Recent achievements in MgB 2 physics and applications: A large-area SQUID magnetometer and point-contact spectroscopy measurements

Science.gov (United States)

Gonnelli, R. S.; Daghero, D.; Calzolari, A.; Ummarino, G. A.; Tortello, M.; Stepanov, V. A.; Zhigadlo, N. D.; Rogacki, K.; Karpinski, J.; Portesi, C.; Monticone, E.; Mijatovic, D.; Veldhuis, D.; Brinkman, A.

2006-03-01

In the first part of the present paper we discuss the fabrication and the characterization of an MgB2-based SQUID magnetometer with a directly coupled large-area pick-up loop, made on an MgB2 film deposited by an all in situ technique. The coarse structure of the SQUID was defined by optical lithography and Ar-ion milling, while the two nanobridges acting as weak links in the superconducting loop were made by focused ion beam (FIB) milling. The device was characterized at different temperatures and showed Josephson quantum interference up to 20 K as well as a noise level already compatible with the recording of an adult magnetocardiogram. In the second part, concerning the fundamental physics of MgB2, we present the results of very recent point-contact measurements on Mg1-xMnxB2 single crystals with 34.1 ⩾ Tc ⩾ 13.3 K (i.e. 0.37% ⩽ x ⩽ 1.5%). The experimental conductance curves were fitted with the generalized two-band BTK model and their behaviour in magnetic fields was studied to check if both the order parameters (OPs) of the σ and π bands were present in the whole doping range. The dependence of the OPs (evaluated through the fit) on the Andreev critical temperature of the junctions is analyzed in the framework of the two-band Eliashberg theory by including the effects of magnetic impurities. The results give an evidence of a dominant effect of the magnetic impurities on the σ-band channel.

EDX and ion beam treatment studies of filamentary in situ MgB2 wires with Ti barrier

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Rosova, A.; Kovac, P.; Husek, I.; Kopera, L.

2011-01-01

Highlights: → SiC-doped MgB 2 wires with Ti barrier showed good Jc in magnetic field. → Explanation why the Ti barrier fits to SiC-doped MgB 2 filaments. → Ti barrier getters Si from SiC-doped filaments and improve their properties. → Si accumulated in an inner layer of Ti barrier protects filaments from Cu diffusion. → Ion beam treatment helps to discover microstructure of complicated systems. - Abstract: In situ SiC-doped filamentary MgB 2 wires (with the diameter of 0.860 and 0.375 mm) with Cu stabilization separated by Ti barrier layers supported by outer SS sheath and annealed at 800 deg. C/0.5 h have been studied by combination of EDX analysis and ion beam selective etching. It was found that several Ti-Cu inter-metallic compounds were created by Cu-Ti interdiffusion and thus the barrier protection against Cu penetration into the superconducting filaments is limited. We showed an advantage of Ti use as the barrier material in our wires. Ti getters silicon out from the superconducting filament, what purges superconducting MgB 2 from Si and creates an additional Si-rich layer in inner part of Ti barrier which prevents Cu diffusion more effectively.

Electron tunneling and the energy gap in Bi2Sr2CaCu2Ox

Science.gov (United States)

Lee, Mark; Mitzi, D. B.; Kapitulnik, A.; Beasley, M. R.

1989-01-01

Results of electron tunneling on single crystals of the Bi2Sr2CaCu2Ox superconductor are reported. The junctions show a gap structure with Δ~=25 meV, whose temperature dependence exhibits a qualitatively Bardeen-Cooper-Schrieffer-like behavior with a gap-closing Tc~=81-85 K. Comparisons of these tunneling spectra to those obtained on YBa2Cu3O7-x are made. Evidence that 2Δ/kTc~7 for both Ba2Sr2CaCu2Ox and YBa2Cu3O7-x is also discussed.

Superconducting gap symmetry in the superconductor BaFe1.9Ni0.1As2

Science.gov (United States)

Kuzmicheva, T. E.; Kuzmichev, S. A.; Sadakov, A. V.; Gavrilkin, S. Yu.; Tsvetkov, A. Yu.; Lu, X.; Luo, H.; Vasiliev, A. N.; Pudalov, V. M.; Chen, Xiao-Jia; Abdel-Hafiez, Mahmoud

2018-06-01

We report on the Andreev spectroscopy and specific heat of high-quality single crystals of BaFe1.9Ni0.1As2 . The intrinsic multiple Andreev reflection spectroscopy reveals two anisotropic superconducting gaps ΔL≈3.2 -4.5 meV , ΔS≈1.2 -1.6 meV (the ranges correspond to the minimum and maximum value of the coupling energy in the kxky plane). The 25 %-30 % anisotropy shows the absence of nodes in the superconducting gaps. Using a two-band model with s -wave-like gaps ΔL≈3.2 meV and ΔS≈1.6 meV , the temperature dependence of the electronic specific heat can be well described. A linear magnetic field dependence of the low-temperature specific heat offers further support of s -wave type of the order parameter. We find that a d -wave or single-gap BCS theory under the weak-coupling approach cannot describe our experiments.

Mechanical properties and bending strain effect on Cu-Ni sheathed MgB2 superconducting tape

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Fu, Minyi; Chen, Jiangxing; Jiao, Zhengkuan; Kumakura, H.; Togano, K.; Ding, Liren; Zhang, Yong; Chen, Zhiyou; Han, Hanmin; Chen, Jinglin

2004-01-01

The Young's modulus (E) of Cu-Ni sheathed MgB 2 monofilament tape was measured using electric method. It is about 8.05 x 10 10 Pa, the same order of Cu and its alloys. We found that the lower E value of the MgB 2 component seemed to relate to the lower filament density. The benefits of pre-compression in filaments were discussed in terms of improving stress distribution in the wires and tapes during winding and operation of superconducting magnets. The magnetic field dependence of J c was investigated on the sample subjected to various strain levels through bending with different radii at 4.2 K

Optimization of the copper addition to the core of in situ Cu-sheathed MgB2 wires

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Woźniak, M; Juda, K L; Hopkins, S C; Glowacki, B A; Gajda, D

2013-01-01

Recent results on powder-in-tube in situ Cu-sheathed MgB 2 wires have shown that copper powder additions to the core can accelerate the formation of MgB 2 , increasing its volume fraction and greatly decreasing the amount of Mg–Cu intermetallic phases present in the core after heat treatment. The amount of added copper and heat treatment conditions strongly affect the critical current of the wire and require optimization. To identify the optimum parameters, eight wires with starting core compositions of Mg+2B+xCu with x = 0, 0.01, 0.03, 0.05, 0.07, 0.09, 0.12 and 0.15 were prepared with two heating ramp rates and their properties were investigated by SEM, XRD and J c and n-value measurements. The highest J c was found to be for x = 0.09, whereas x = 0.03 resulted in the highest n-value. The results are relatively independent of the heating ramp rate used for heat treatment. (paper)

A superconducting shield to protect astronauts

CERN Document Server

Antonella Del Rosso

2015-01-01

The CERN Superconductors team in the Technology department is involved in the European Space Radiation Superconducting Shield (SR2S) project, which aims to demonstrate the feasibility of using superconducting magnetic shielding technology to protect astronauts from cosmic radiation in the space environment. The material that will be used in the superconductor coils on which the project is working is magnesium diboride (MgB2), the same type of conductor developed in the form of wire for CERN for the LHC High Luminosity Cold Powering project.   Image: K. Anthony/CERN. Back in April 2014, the CERN Superconductors team announced a world-record current in an electrical transmission line using cables made of the MgB2 superconductor. This result proved that the technology could be used in the form of wire and could be a viable solution for both electrical transmission for accelerator technology and long-distance power transportation. Now, the MgB2 superconductor has found another application: it wi...

Enhanced superconducting properties of MgB2 by carbon substitution using carbon containing nano additives

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Devadas, K.M.; Varghese, Neson; Vinod, K.; Rahul, S.; Thomas, Syju; Anooja, J.B.; Syamaprasad, U.; Sundaresan, A.; Roy, S.B.

2010-01-01

A comparative study on the effect of doping of nano carbon, nano diamond and nano SiC in MgB 2 is carried out. The J c (H) is significantly enhanced for all doped samples compared to the pure sample among which MgB 1.9 C 0.1 (nano C) exhibits the best J c (H) performance. The enhanced performance is due to the effective substitution of C at B site which is confirmed by the systematic decrease in both α axis and T c . (author)

Refinement of Crystalline Boron and the Superconducting Properties of MgB2 by Attrition Ball Milling

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Lee, J. H.; Shin, S. Y.; Park, H. W.; Jun, B. H.; Kim, C. J.

2008-01-01

We report refinement of crystalline boron by an attrition ball milling system and the superconducting properties of the MgB 2 pellets prepared from the refined boron. In this work, we have conducted the ball milling with only crystalline boron powder, in order to improve homogeneity and control the grain size of the MgB 2 that is formed from it. We observed that the crystalline responses in the ball-milled boron became broader and weaker when the ball-milling time was further increased. On the other hand, the B 2 O 3 peak became stronger in the powders, resulting in an increase in the amount of MgO within the MgB 2 volume. The main reason for this is a greater oxygen uptake. From the perspective of the superconducting properties, however, the sample prepared from boron that was ball milled for 5 hours showed an improvement of critical current density (J c ), even with increased MgO phase, under an external magnetic field at 5 and 20 K.

Gap-related trapped magnetic flux dependence between single and combined bulk superconductors

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Deng, Z.; Miki, M.; Felder, B.; Tsuzuki, K.; Shinohara, N.; Uetake, T.; Izumi, M.

2011-01-01

Highlights: → Rectangular YBCO bulks to realize a compact combination. → The gap effect was added to consider in the trapped flux density mapping. → The trapped-flux dependence between single and combined bulks is gap related. → It is possible to estimate the total magnetic flux of bulk combinations. - Abstract: Aiming at examining the trapped-flux dependence between single and combined bulk superconductors for field-pole applications, three rectangular Y 1.65 Ba 2 Cu 3 O 7-x (YBCO) bulks with a possibly compact combination were employed to investigate the trapped-flux characteristics of single and combined bulks with a field-cooling magnetization (FCM) method. A gap-related dependence was found between them. At lower gaps of 1 mm and 5 mm, the peak trapped fields and total magnetic flux of combined bulks are both smaller than the additive values of each single bulk, which can be ascribed to the demagnetization influences of the field around the bulk generated by the adjacent ones. While, at larger gaps like 10 mm, the situation becomes reversed. The combined bulks can attain bigger peak trapped fields as well as total magnetic flux, which indicates that the magnetic field by the bulk combination can reach higher gaps, thanks to the bigger magnetic energy compared with the single bulk. The presented results show that, on one hand, it is possible to estimate the total trapped magnetic flux of combined bulks by an approximate additive method of each single bulk while considering a demagnetization factor; on the other hand, it also means that the performance of combined bulks will be superior to the addition of each single bulk at larger gaps, thus preferable for large-scaled magnet applications.

Gap-related trapped magnetic flux dependence between single and combined bulk superconductors

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Deng, Z., E-mail: zgdeng@gmail.co [Laboratory of Applied Physics, Department of Marine Electronics and Mechanical Engineering, Tokyo University of Marine Science and Technology, Tokyo 135-8533 (Japan); Miki, M.; Felder, B.; Tsuzuki, K.; Shinohara, N.; Uetake, T.; Izumi, M. [Laboratory of Applied Physics, Department of Marine Electronics and Mechanical Engineering, Tokyo University of Marine Science and Technology, Tokyo 135-8533 (Japan)

2011-05-15

Highlights: {yields} Rectangular YBCO bulks to realize a compact combination. {yields} The gap effect was added to consider in the trapped flux density mapping. {yields} The trapped-flux dependence between single and combined bulks is gap related. {yields} It is possible to estimate the total magnetic flux of bulk combinations. - Abstract: Aiming at examining the trapped-flux dependence between single and combined bulk superconductors for field-pole applications, three rectangular Y{sub 1.65}Ba{sub 2}Cu{sub 3}O{sub 7-x} (YBCO) bulks with a possibly compact combination were employed to investigate the trapped-flux characteristics of single and combined bulks with a field-cooling magnetization (FCM) method. A gap-related dependence was found between them. At lower gaps of 1 mm and 5 mm, the peak trapped fields and total magnetic flux of combined bulks are both smaller than the additive values of each single bulk, which can be ascribed to the demagnetization influences of the field around the bulk generated by the adjacent ones. While, at larger gaps like 10 mm, the situation becomes reversed. The combined bulks can attain bigger peak trapped fields as well as total magnetic flux, which indicates that the magnetic field by the bulk combination can reach higher gaps, thanks to the bigger magnetic energy compared with the single bulk. The presented results show that, on one hand, it is possible to estimate the total trapped magnetic flux of combined bulks by an approximate additive method of each single bulk while considering a demagnetization factor; on the other hand, it also means that the performance of combined bulks will be superior to the addition of each single bulk at larger gaps, thus preferable for large-scaled magnet applications.

Screened Raman response in two-dimensional d(x2-y2)-wave superconductors: Relative intensities in different symmetry channels

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Wenger, F.; Käll, M.

1997-01-01

We analyze the Raman-scattering response in a two-dimensional d(x2-y2)-wave superconductor and point out a strong suppression of relative intensity in the screened A(1g) channel compared to the B-1g channel for a generic tight-binding model. This is in contrast with the observed behavior in high...

Nanometre-sized inhomogeneity in high-Jc Bi2Sr2CaCu2O8+δ superconductors

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Nishiyama, M; Kinoda, G; Zhao, Y; Hasegawa, T; Itoh, Y; Koshizuka, N; Murakami, M

2004-01-01

We have performed atomic-scale high-resolution scanning tunnelling microscopy and spectroscopy measurements on the cleaved surface of single crystal Bi 2 Sr 2 CaCuO 8+δ superconductors with high critical current density J c . The samples exhibited rugged structure about 15 nm in period, larger than the modulation of the BiO layer, which corresponded well to the energy gap distribution at 77 K. The presence of inhomogeneity from a nanometre to a micrometre scale, in the energy gap distribution, the structural modulation and the chemical composition fluctuation, may play an important role in improving J c values in the Bi 2 Sr 2 CaCuO 8+δ crystals

Trapped magnetic field in a (NdFeB)–(MgB2) pair-type bulk magnet

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Aldica, Gheorghe; Burdusel, Mihail; Badica, Petre

2014-01-01

Highlights: • Dense MgB 2 discs were obtained by ex-situ Spark Plasma Sintering. • A NdFeB–MgB 2 pair-type bulk magnet was tested for different working conditions. • The polarity of the NdFeB permanent magnet influences macro flux jumps of MgB 2 . • Trapped field of the pair was 2.45 T (20 K) and 3.3 T (12 K). - Abstract: Superconducting bulk discs, S, of 20 mm in diameter and 3.5 or 3.3 mm thickness of MgB 2 (pristine or added with cubic BN, respectively) with density above 97% were prepared by Spark Plasma Sintering. Discs were combined in a pair-type sandwich-like arrangement with a permanent NdFeB axially magnetised magnet, PM (∼0.5 T). Measurement of the trapped field, B tr , with temperature, time, and the reduction rate of the applied magnetic field was performed using a Hall sensor positioned at the centre between the superconductor and the permanent magnet. It is shown that the permanent magnet with certain polarity favors higher trapped field of the superconductor owing to suppression of flux jumps specific for high density MgB 2 samples. The B tr of the PM–S pair was 2.45 T (20 K) and 3.3 T (12 K)

Effect of sheath material on critical current characteristics of MgB2 at high temperatures

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Kiuchi, M.; Yamauchi, K.; Kurokawa, T.; Otabe, E.S.; Matsushita, T.; Okada, M.; Tanaka, K.; Kumakura, H.; Kitaguchi, H.

2004-01-01

Critical current density and irreversibility field were measured at various temperatures and magnetic fields for MgB 2 PIT tape specimens with different sheaths materials. The experimental results were compared with theoretical estimations using the flux creep-flow model. It is found that the hardness of sheath material indirectly affects the pinning property only through the packing density of MgB 2 . It is considered that the critical current density is mainly determined by a low value of distributed local critical current density determined by grain connectivity. On the other hand, the irreversibility field which is approximately the same among the three tapes is mainly determined by the average pinning strength

Using Fast Hot Shock Wave Consolidation Technology to Produce Superconducting MgB2

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

T. Gegechkori

2018-02-01

Full Text Available The original hot shock wave assisted consolidation method combining high temperature was applied with the two-stage explosive process without any further sintering to produce superconducting materials with high density and integrity. The consolidation of MgB2 billets was performed at temperatures above the Mg melting point and up to 1000oC in partially liquid condition of Mg-2B blend powders. The influence of the type of boron (B isotope in the composition on critical temperature and superconductive properties was evaluated. An example of a hybrid Cu-MgB2–Cu superconducting tube is demonstrated and conclusions are discussed.

Recent developments in melt processed Gd-123 and MgB2 materials at RTRI

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Muralidhar, M.; Fukumoto, Y.; Ishihara, A.; Suzuki, K.; Tomita, M.; Koblischka, M.R.; Yamamoto, A.; Kishio, K.

2014-01-01

Highlights: •Large size Gd-123 bulk material grown in air, using novel thin film Nd-123 seeds grown on MgO crystals. •Quality and uniformity of the Gd-123 materials are excellent. •Batch processed Gd-123 material was used for construction of chilled Maglev vehicle. •MgB 2 bulks can be utilized around 20 K similarly to the Gd-123 material at 77 K. -- Abstract: In this contribution we will report on the current status, recent developments in GdBa 2 Cu 3 O y “Gd-123” and MgB 2 material processing, characterization, and applications at the Railway Technical Research Institute (RTRI). Batch-processing of Gd-123 bulk material grown in air was performed using novel thin film Nd-123 seeds grown on MgO crystals. In this way, we are able to fabricate materials with good quality, and uniform performance. We examined the technology of the uniform performance of the large 45 mm diameter, single grain Gd-123 bulks for use in application of NMR. For this purpose, four 5 mm thick pieces are cut vertically from a single grain Gd-123 material and the magnetic field distribution is measured using a scanning hall sensor. We found that all four pieces are single domain and exhibit a quite uniform field distribution. Furthermore, the batch-processed bulk materials are used for the construction of a chilled Maglev vehicle. On the other hand, to optimize the trapped field performance of bulk MgB 2 material, several samples were prepared by solid state reaction at different temperatures ranging from 750 to 950 °C in pure argon atmosphere. X-ray diffraction results indicated that single phase and homogenous MgB 2 bulks are produced when sintering them around 775 °C. Further, atomic force microscopy (AFM) and scanning electron microscopy (SEM) indicated that an uniform grain size results by controlling the processing temperature. So, higher trapped fields can be achieved in sintered MgB 2 material

Numerical investigations on the characteristics of thermomagnetic instability in MgB2 bulks

Science.gov (United States)

Xia, Jing; Li, Maosheng; Zhou, Youhe

2017-07-01

This paper presents the characteristics of thermomagnetic instability in MgB2 bulks by numerically solving the macroscopic dynamics of thermomagnetic interaction governed by the coupled magnetic and heat diffusion equations in association with a modified E-J power-law relationship. The finite element method is used to discretize the system of partial differential equations. The calculated magnetization loops with flux jumps are consistent with the experimental results for MgB2 slabs bathed in a wide range of ambient temperatures. We reveal the evolution process of the thermomagnetic instability and present the distributions of the magnetic field, temperature, and current density before and after flux jumps. A 2D axisymmetric model is used to study the thermomagnetic instability in cylindrical MgB2 bulks. It is found that the number of flux jumps monotonously reduces as the ambient temperature rises and no flux jump appears when the ambient temperature exceeds a certain value. Moreover, the flux-jump phenomenon exists in a wide range of the ramp rate of the applied external field, i.e. 10-2-102 T s-1. Furthermore, the dependences of the first flux-jump field on the ambient temperature, ramp rate, and bulk thickness are investigated. The critical bulk thicknesses for stability are obtained for different ambient temperatures and sample radii. In addition, the influence of the capability of the interfacial heat transfer on the temporal response of the bulk temperature is discussed. We also find that the prediction of thermomagnetic instability is sensitive to the employment of the flux creep exponent in the simulations.

High-Tc copper oxide superconductors and related novel materials dedicated to prof K. A. Müller on the occasion of his 90th birthday

CERN Document Server

Keller, Hugo; Bianconi, Antonio

2017-01-01

Authored by many of the world's leading experts on high-Tc superconductivity, this volume presents a panorama of ongoing research in the field, as well as insights into related multifunctional materials. The contributions cover many different and complementary aspects of the physics and materials challenges, with an emphasis on superconducting materials that have emerged since the discovery of the cuprate superconductors, for example pnictides, MgB2, H2S and other hydrides. Special attention is also paid to interface superconductivity. In addition to superconductors, the volume also addresses materials related to polar and multifunctional ground states, another class of materials that owes its discovery to Prof. Müller's ground-breaking research on SrTiO3.

Hall viscosity of a chiral two-orbital superconductor at finite temperatures

Science.gov (United States)

Yazdani-Hamid, Meghdad; Shahzamanian, Mohammad Ali

2018-06-01

The Hall viscosity known as the anti-symmetric part of the viscosity fourth-rank tensor. Such dissipationless response which appears for systems with broken time reversal symmetry. We calculate this non-dissipative quantity for a chiral two-orbital superconductor placed in a viscoelastic magnetic field using the linear response theory and apply our calculations to the putative multiband chiral superconductor Sr2RuO4. The chirality origin of a multiband superconductor arises from the interorbital coupling of the superconducting state. This feature leads to the robustness of the Hall viscosity against temperature and impurity effects. We study the temperature effect on the Hall viscosity at the one-loop approximation.

Intercalation compounds of NbSe2 und SnSe2. Model systems for low-dimensional superconductors

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Herzinger, Michael

2013-01-01

Quasi-two-dimensional (2D) metal dichalcogenides have received considerable research interest since their complex anisotropic electronic properties can be controlled by the intercalation of donor species. Although layered dichalcogenides have been studied by many aspects of chemical and physical properties, their two-dimensional character is only poorly understood. The present work deals with the layer-shaped dichalcogenides SnSe 2 and NbSe 2 . The host-material SnSe 2 was synthesized by chemical transport with Iodine as transport agent in sealed quartz ampoules. The intercalation of the semiconducting layered single crystals SnSe 2 with the organometallic compound cobaltocene (CoCp 2 ) leads to superconductivity up to T = 8 K. Ex-situ intercalation studies show an intercalation-mechanism outgoing from the host material 2H-SnSe 2 in a stage-2 phase which goes over in a stage-1 phase for higher intercalation degrees. In addition, SnSe 2 {CoCp 2 } x show remarkable low-temperature properties e.g. the coexistence of superconductivity and magnetism in dependence of the staging and cobaltocene-content of the material. Starting from an intercalation degree of 17% CoCp 2 long range ordered magnetism (with increasing saturation magnetization) was observed in 18R-SnSe 2 {CoCp 2 } x . Furthermore SnSe 2 {CoCp 2 } x show an extremely sensitive superconducting pinning behavior in very small magnetic fields partially below B 2 -content. A phase diagram was developed in dependence of the degree of intercalation over the whole range of intercalation between 0 % and 33 %. For comparison of the low-temperature character of SnSe 2 {CoCp 2 } x , another layer-shaped superconductor NbSe 2 was intercalated with CoCp 2 . The layered high-k s-wave superconductor 2H-NbSe 2 belongs to the most prominent low-dimensional materials studied during the past fifty years. After the discovery of the high temperature superconductor MgB 2 , a benchmark system for multi-band superconductivity, NbSe 2

Properties of hot pressed MgB2/Ti tapes

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Kovac, P.; Husek, I.; Melisek, T.; Fedor, J.; Cambel, V.; Morawski, A.; Kario, A.

2009-01-01

Hot axial and hot isostatic pressing was applied for single-core MgB 2 /Ti tapes. Differences in transport current density, n-exponents and critical current anisotropy are discussed and related to the grain connectivity influenced by pressing. The magnetic Hall probe scanning measurements allowed observing the isolated regions for axially hot pressed sample attributed to the longitudinally oriented cracks introduced by pressing. The highest current densities were measured for the tape subjected to hot isostatic pressing due to improved connectivity.

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

Influence of particle size of Mg powder on the microstructure and critical currents of in situ powder-in-tube processed MgB_2 wires

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Kumakura, Hiroaki; Ye, Shujun; Matsumoto, Akiyoshi; Nitta, Ryuji

2016-01-01

We fabricated in situ powder-in-tube(PIT) MgB_2 wires using three kinds of Mg powders with particle size of ∼45 μm, ∼150 μm and 212∼600 μm. Mg particles were elongated to filamentary structure in the wires during cold drawing process. Especially, long Mg filamentary structure was obtained for large Mg particle size of 212∼600 μm. Critical current density, J_c, increased with increasing Mg particle size for 1 mm diameter wires. This is due to the development of filamentary structure of high density MgB_2 superconducting layer along the wires. This MgB_2 structure is similar to that of the internal Mg diffusion (IMD) processed MgB_2 wires. However, J_c of the wires fabricated with 212∼600 μm Mg particle size decreased and the scattering of J_c increased with decreasing wire diameter, while the J_c of the wires with ∼45 μm Mg particle was almost independent of the wire diameter. The cross sectional area reduction of the Mg particles during the wire drawing is smaller than that of the wire. When using large size Mg particle, the number of Mg filaments in the wire cross section is small. These two facts statistically lead to the larger scattering of Mg areal fraction in the wire cross section with proceeding of wire drawing process, resulting in smaller volume fraction of MgB_2 in the wire and lower J_c with larger scattering along the wire. SiC nano powder addition is effective in increasing J_c for all Mg particle sizes. (author)

Scanning laser microscope for imaging nanostructured superconductors

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Ishida, Takekazu; Arai, Kohei; Akita, Yukio; Miyanari, Mitsunori; Minami, Yusuke; Yotsuya, Tsutomu; Kato, Masaru; Satoh, Kazuo; Uno, Mayumi; Shimakage, Hisashi; Miki, Shigehito; Wang, Zhen

2010-01-01

The nanofabrication of superconductors yields various interesting features in superconducting properties. A variety of different imaging techniques have been developed for probing the local superconducting profiles. A scanning pulsed laser microscope has been developed by the combination of the XYZ piezo-driven stages and an optical fiber with an aspheric focusing lens. The scanning laser microscope is used to understand the position-dependent properties of a superconducting MgB 2 stripline of length 100 μm and width of 3 μm under constant bias current. Our results show that the superconducting stripline can clearly be seen in the contour image of the scanning laser microscope on the signal voltage. It is suggested from the observed image that the inhomogeneity is relevant in specifying the operating conditions such as detection efficiency of the sensor.

Scanning laser microscope for imaging nanostructured superconductors

Science.gov (United States)

Ishida, Takekazu; Arai, Kohei; Akita, Yukio; Miyanari, Mitsunori; Minami, Yusuke; Yotsuya, Tsutomu; Kato, Masaru; Satoh, Kazuo; Uno, Mayumi; Shimakage, Hisashi; Miki, Shigehito; Wang, Zhen

2010-10-01

The nanofabrication of superconductors yields various interesting features in superconducting properties. A variety of different imaging techniques have been developed for probing the local superconducting profiles. A scanning pulsed laser microscope has been developed by the combination of the XYZ piezo-driven stages and an optical fiber with an aspheric focusing lens. The scanning laser microscope is used to understand the position-dependent properties of a superconducting MgB 2 stripline of length 100 μm and width of 3 μm under constant bias current. Our results show that the superconducting stripline can clearly be seen in the contour image of the scanning laser microscope on the signal voltage. It is suggested from the observed image that the inhomogeneity is relevant in specifying the operating conditions such as detection efficiency of the sensor.

MgB2 thin films on silicon nitride substrates prepared by an in situ method

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Monticone, Eugenio; Gandini, Claudio; Portesi, Chiara; Rajteri, Mauro; Bodoardo, Silvia; Penazzi, Nerino; Dellarocca, Valeria; Gonnelli, Renato S

2004-01-01

Large-area MgB 2 thin films were deposited on silicon nitride and sapphire substrates by co-deposition of Mg and B. After a post-annealing in Ar atmosphere at temperatures between 773 and 1173 K depending on the substrate, the films showed a critical temperature higher than 35 K with a transition width less than 0.5 K. The x-ray diffraction pattern suggested a c-axis preferential orientation in films deposited on amorphous substrate. The smooth surface and the good structural properties of these MgB 2 films allowed their reproducible patterning by a standard photolithographic process down to dimensions of the order of 10 μm and without a considerable degradation of the superconducting properties

Enhancement of Critical Current Density and Flux Pinning in Acetone and La2O3 Codoped MgB2 Tapes

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Gao Zhao-Shun; Ma Yan-Wei; Wang Dong-Liang; Zhang Xian-Ping; Awaji Satoshi; Watanabe Kazuo

2010-01-01

MgB 2 tape samples with simultaneous additions of acetone and La 2 O 3 were prepared by an in-situ processed powder-in-tube method. Compared to the pure and single doped tapes, both transport J c and fluxing pinning are greatly improved by acetone and La 2 O 3 codoping. Acetone supplies carbon into the MgB 2 crystal lattice and increases the upper critical field, while the La 2 O 3 reacts with B to form LaB 6 nanoparticles as effective flux pining centers. The improvement of the superconducting properties in codoped tapes can be attributed to the combined effects of improvement in H c2 and flux pinning. (condensed matter: electronic structure, electrical, magnetic, and optical properties)

Flux pinning and inhomogeneity in magnetic nanoparticle doped MgB2/Fe wires

Science.gov (United States)

Novosel, Nikolina; Pajić, Damir; Mustapić, Mislav; Babić, Emil; Shcherbakov, Andrey; Horvat, Joseph; Skoko, Željko; Zadro, Krešo

2010-06-01

The effects of magnetic nanoparticle doping on superconductivity of MgB2/Fe wires have been investigated. Fe2B and SiO2-coated Fe2B particles with average diameters 80 and 150 nm, respectively, were used as dopands. MgB2 wires with different nanoparticle contents (0, 3, 7.5, 12 wt.%) were sintered at temperature 750°C. The magnetoresistivity and critical current density Jc of wires were measured in the temperature range 2-40 K in magnetic field B doped wires decreases quite rapidly with doping level (~ 0.5 K per wt.%). This results in the reduction of the irreversibility fields Birr(T) and critical current densities Jc(B,T) in doped samples (both at low (5 K) and high temperatures (20 K)). Common scaling of Jc(B,T) curves for doped and undoped wires indicates that the main mechanism of flux pinning is the same in both types of samples. Rather curved Kramer's plots for Jc of doped wires imply considerable inhomogeneity.

Multilayered cuprate superconductor Ba2Ca5Cu6O12(O1-x,Fx) 2 studied by temperature-dependent scanning tunneling microscopy and spectroscopy

Science.gov (United States)

Sugimoto, Akira; Ekino, Toshikazu; Gabovich, Alexander M.; Sekine, Ryotaro; Tanabe, Kenji; Tokiwa, Kazuyasu

2017-05-01

Scanning tunneling microscopy/spectroscopy (STM/STS) measurements were carried out on a multilayered cuprate superconductor Ba2Ca5Cu6O12 (O1 -x,Fx )2. STM topography revealed random spot structures with the characteristic length ≤0.5 nm. The conductance spectra d I /d V (V ) show the coexistence of smaller gaps ΔS and large gaps (pseudogaps) ΔL. The pseudogap-related features in the superconducting state were traced with the spatial resolution of ˜0.07 nm. Here, I and V are the tunnel current and bias voltage, respectively. The temperature, T , dependence of ΔS follows the reduced Bardeen-Cooper-Schrieffer (BCS) dependence. The hallmark ratio 2 ΔS(T =0 ) /kBTc equals to 4.9, which is smaller than those of other cuprate superconductors. Here, Tc is the superconducting critical temperature and kB is the Boltzmann constant. The larger gap ΔL survives in the normal state and even increases with T above Tc. The T dependencies of the spatial distributions for both relevant gaps (Δ map), as well as for each gap separately (ΔS and ΔL), were obtained. From the histogram of Δ map, the averaged gap values were found to be Δ¯S=˜24 meV and Δ¯L=˜79 meV. The smaller gap ΔS shows a spatially homogeneous distribution while the larger gap ΔL is quite inhomogeneous, indicating that rather homogeneous superconductivity coexists with the patchy distributed pseudogap. The spatial variation length ξΔ L of ΔL correlates with the scale of the topography spot structures, being approximately 0.4 nm. This value is considerably smaller than the coherence length of this class of superconductors, suggesting that ΔL is strongly affected by the disorder of the apical O/F.

Multiply gapped density of states in a normal metal in contact with a superconductor

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Reutlinger, Johannes; Belzig, Wolfgang [Department of Physics, University of Konstanz, 78457 Konstanz (Germany); Nazarov, Yuli V. [Kavli Institute of Nanoscience Delft, Delft University of Technology, 2628 CJ Delft (Netherlands); Glazman, Leonid I. [Department of Physics, Yale University, New Haven CT 06511-8499 (United States)

2012-07-01

The spectral properties of a normal metal adjacent to a superconductor are strongly dependent on the characteristic mesoscopic energy scale - the Thouless energy E{sub Th} - and the strength of the connection. In this work, we predict that the local density of states (LDOS), besides the well know minigap {proportional_to}E{sub Th}, can exhibit a multiple gap structure, which strongly depends on the type of the contact. For ballistic contacts we calculate these secondary gaps analytically in the framework of quantum circuit theory of mesoscopic transport. The secondary gaps are absent in the case of tunnel contacts. In the general case the equations are solved numerically for more realistic contacts, like for example diffusive connectors or dirty interfaces, which are characterized by continuous distributions of transmission eigenvalues between 0 and 1. We find that the gap vanishes in these cases, but the density of states is still suppressed around the superconducting gap edge. Distribution functions with a stronger weight at higher transmissions can be modeled through asymmetric ballistic double junctions, which even exhibit multiple gaps. Such spectral signatures are fundamental to disordered nanoscopic conductors and experimentally accessible.

Effect of malic acid doping on the structural and superconducting properties of MgB2

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Ojha, N.; Sudesh; Stuti Rani; Varma, G.D.

2010-01-01

The samples have been prepared via standard solid state reaction route with nominal compositions MgB 2 + x wt% malic acid (x = 0, 5 and 10) by sintering at two different temperatures: 800 and 850 deg C in argon atmosphere. Improvement in upper critical fields (H c2 ) and irreversibility field (H irr ) of doped samples as compared to undoped samples have been observed. At 10 K, critical current densities (J c ) of the 5 and 10 wt% malic acid doped MgB 2 samples sintered at 850 deg C have higher values as compared to undoped sample sintered at the same temperature in the fields greater than 3 T. However, J c values of 5 wt% malic acid doped sample are higher than 10 wt% doped sample in the entire applied field region (0 - 7 T). In case of the samples sintered at 800 deg C improvement in J c values of 5 wt% doped sample have been found in entire field region as compared to undoped sample. On the other hand we see deterioration in J c values of 10 wt% doped samples sintered at 800 deg C as compared to undoped samples sintered at same temperature. The correlations between structural and superconducting properties will be described and discussed in this paper. (author)

Studies of superconductors using a low-temperature, high-field scanning tunneling microscope

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Kirtley, J.R.; Feenstra, R.M.; Fein, A.P.

1988-01-01

We have developed a scanning tunneling microscope (STM) capable of operating at temperatures as low as 0.4 K and fields as high as 8 T. We have used this STM to study the energy gap of the high-T/sub c/ superconductors La--Sr--Cu--O and Y--Ba--Cu--O. We find that the reduced gap for these oxide superconductors falls in the range 3<2Δ/k/sub B/T/sub c/<7, for polycrystalline, single-crystal, and thin-film samples. We have also simultaneously imaged the surface topography and superconducting energy gap for thin films of the granular superconductor NbN. We occasionally see regions with smaller best-fit gaps that correlate with surface topographical features, but have been unable so far to image flux vortices

Using specific heat to scan gaps and anisotropy of MgB{sub 2}

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Bouquet, F.; Wang, Y.; Toulemonde, P.; Guritanu, V.; Junod, A.; Eisterer, M.; Weber, H.W.; Lee, S.; Tajima, S

2004-08-01

We performed specific heat measurements to study the superconducting properties of the {approx}40 K superconductor MgB{sub 2}, up to 16 T, using polycrystal and single crystal samples. Our results establish the validity of the two-gap model. We tested the effect of disorder by irradiating our sample. This procedure decreased T{sub c} down to {approx}26 K, but did not suppress completely the smaller gap, at variance with theoretical expectations. A positive effect of the irradiation was the increase of H{sub c2} up to almost 30 T. Our results on the single crystal allow the anisotropy of each band to be determined independently, and show the existence of a cross-over field well below H{sub c2} characterizing the physics of the small-gapped band. We also present preliminary results on Nb{sub 3}Sn, showing similar, but weaker effects.

Enhanced J c property in nano-SiC doped thin MgB2/Fe wires by a modified in situ PIT process

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Jiang, C.H.; Nakane, T.; Hatakeyama, H.; Kumakura, H.

2005-01-01

A modified in situ PIT process, which included a short time pre-annealing and intermediate drawing step in the conventional in situ PIT process, was employed to fabricate thin round MgB 2 /Fe wires from MgH 2 and B powders. The pores and cracks resulted from the MgH 2 decomposition during the pre-annealing were effectively eliminated by the intermediate drawing step, which subsequently increased the core density and J c property of final heat treated wires. A higher reduction rate after the pre-annealing led to a larger enhancement in J c within this study. The reproducibility of our new process on the J c improvement in MgB 2 wires was confirmed in two series of wires doped with 5 mol% or 10 mol% nano-SiC particles separately

Critical current density in MgB2 bulk samples after co-doping with nano-SiC and poly zinc acrylate complexes

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Zhang, Z.; Suo, H.; Ma, L.; Zhang, T.; Liu, M.; Zhou, M.

2011-01-01

SiC and poly zinc acrylate complexes co-doped MgB 2 bulk has been synthesized. Co-doping can cause higher carbon substitutions and the second phase particles. Co-doping can further increase the Jc value of MgB 2 bulk on the base of the SiC doping. The co-doped MgB 2 bulk samples have been synthesized using an in situ reaction processing. The additives is 8 wt.% SiC nano powders and 10 wt.% [(CH 2 CHCOO) 2 Zn] n poly zinc acrylate complexes (PZA). A systematic study was performed on samples doped with SiC or PZA and samples co-doped with both of them. The effects of doping and co-doping on phase formation, microstructure, and the variation of lattice parameters were studied. The amount of substituted carbon, the critical temperature (T c ) and the critical current density (J c ) were determined. The calculated lattice parameters show the decrease of the a-axis, while no obvious change was detected for c-axis parameter in co-doped samples. This indicates that the carbon was substituted by boron in MgB 2 . The amount of substituted carbon for the co-doped sample shows an enhancement compared to that of the both single doped samples. The co-doped samples perform the highest J c values, which reaches 3.3 x 10 4 A/cm 2 at 5 K and 7 T. It is shown that co-doping with SiC and organic compound is an effective way to further improve the superconducting properties of MgB 2 .

Vapor annealing synthesis of non-epitaxial MgB2 films on glassy carbon

Science.gov (United States)

Baker, A. A.; Bayu Aji, L. B.; Bae, J. H.; Stavrou, E.; Steich, D. J.; McCall, S. K.; Kucheyev, S. O.

2018-05-01

We describe the fabrication and characterization of 25–800 nm thick MgB2 films on glassy carbon substrates by Mg vapor annealing of sputter-deposited amorphous B films. Results demonstrate a critical role of both the initial B film thickness and the temperature–time profile on the microstructure, elemental composition, and superconducting properties of the resultant MgB2 films. Films with thicknesses of 55 nm and below exhibit a smooth surface, with a roughness of 1.1 nm, while thicker films have surface morphology consisting of elongated nano-crystallites. The suppression of the superconducting transition temperature for thin films scales linearly with the oxygen impurity concentration and also correlates with the amount of lattice disorder probed by Raman scattering. The best results are obtained by a rapid (12 min) anneal at 850 °C with large temperature ramp and cooling rates of ∼540 °C min‑1. Such fast processing suppresses the deleterious oxygen uptake.

Anomalous magnetoresistance in the spinel superconductor LiTi2O4.

Science.gov (United States)

Jin, K; He, G; Zhang, X; Maruyama, S; Yasui, S; Suchoski, R; Shin, J; Jiang, Y; Yu, H S; Yuan, J; Shan, L; Kusmartsev, F V; Greene, R L; Takeuchi, I

2015-05-20

LiTi2O4 is a unique compound in that it is the only known spinel oxide superconductor. The lack of high quality single crystals has thus far prevented systematic investigations of its transport properties. Here we report a careful study of transport and tunnelling spectroscopy in epitaxial LiTi2O4 thin films. An unusual magnetoresistance is observed which changes from nearly isotropic negative to prominently anisotropic positive as the temperature is decreased. We present evidence that shows that the negative magnetoresistance likely stems from the suppression of local spin fluctuations or spin-orbit scattering centres. The positive magnetoresistance suggests the presence of an orbital-related state, also supported by the fact that the superconducting energy gap decreases as a quadratic function of magnetic field. These observations indicate that the spin-orbital fluctuations play an important role in LiTi2O4 in a manner similar to high-temperature superconductors.

Electron tunneling and the energy gap in Bi2Sr2CaCu2O/sub x/

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Lee, M.; Mitzi, D.B.; Kapitulnik, A.; Beasley, M.R.

1989-01-01

Results of electron tunneling on single crystals of the Bi 2 Sr 2 CaCu 2 O/sub x/ superconductor are reported. The junctions show a gap structure with Δ≅25 meV, whose temperature dependence exhibits a qualitatively Bardeen-Cooper-Schrieffer-like behavior with a gap-closing T/sub c/≅81--85 K. Comparisons of these tunneling spectra to those obtained on YBa 2 Cu 3 O/sub 7-//sub x/ are made. Evidence that 2Δ/kT/sub c/∼7 for both Ba 2 Sr 2 CaCu 2 O/sub x/ and YBa 2 Cu 3 O/sub 7-//sub x/ is also discussed

Stress-strain effects on powder-in-tube MgB2 tapes and wires

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Katagiri, Kazumune; Takaya, Ryuya; Kasaba, Koichi; Tachikawa, Kyoji; Yamada, Yutaka; Shimura, Satoshi; Koshizuka, Naoki; Watanabe, Kazuo

2005-01-01

The effects of stress-strain on the critical current, I c , of ex situ powder-in-tube (PIT)-processed Ni-sheathed MgB 2 tapes and round wires as well as in situ PIT-processed Cu-sheathed wires at 4.2 K in a magnetic field up to 5 T have been studied. The effect of In powder addition on the Ni-sheathed MgB 2 wire was not so clear compared with that in the tape, in which the irreversible strain, ε irr , for the I c degradation onset increases significantly by the addition. This is attributed to the difference in the microstructure of the core associated with cold workings. A peak and gradual degradation behaviour of I c with strain beyond ε irr was found in the wire, whereas no evident peak and a steep degradation behaviour was found in the tape. As a possible reason, the difference in the triaxial residual stress state at 4.2 K due to the difference in geometry of the cross-section is suspected. The transverse compression tests revealed that I c of the wire did not degrade up to 270 MPa. Again, the effect of In addition was minimal. The Young's modulus of MgB 2 , 31-41 GPa, at room temperature was estimated by a tensile test of Cu sheath wire using a high-accuracy extensometer and the law of mixtures. The tensile strain dependence of I c in the Cu sheath wire was similar to that in the Ni-sheathed wire, ε irr being 0.4%. However, the stress corresponding to ε irr , 50 MPa, was about 1/10 of that for the Ni-sheath wire and the irreversible transverse compressive stress, 150 MPa, was also lower. The effect of bending strain on the I c in Cu-sheathed wire was compared with that of the tensile strain

[A novel TaqMan® MGB probe for specifically detecting Streptococcus mutans].

Science.gov (United States)

Zheng, Hui; Lin, Jiu-Xiang; DU, Ning; Chen, Feng

2013-10-18

To design a new TaqMan® MGB probe for improving the specificity of Streptococcus mutans's detection. We extracted six DNA samples from different streptococcal strains for PCR reaction. Conventional nested PCR and TaqMan® MGB real-time PCR were applied independently. The first round of nested PCR was carried out with the bacterial universal primers, while a second PCR was conducted by using primers specific for the 16S rRNA gene of Streptococcus mutans. The TaqMan® MGB probe for Streptococcus mutans was designed from sequence analyses, and the primers were the same as nested PCR. Streptococcus mutans DNA with 2.5 mg/L was sequentially diluted at 5-fold intervals to 0.16 μg/L. Standard DNA samples were used to generate standard curves by TaqMan® MGB real-time PCR. In the nested PCR, the primers specific for Streptococcus mutans also detected Streptococcus gordonii with visible band of 282 bp, giving false-positive results. In the TaqMan® MGB real-time PCR reaction, only Streptococcus mutans was detected. The detection limitation of TaqMan® MGB real-time PCR for Streptococcus mutans 16S rRNA gene was 20 μg/L. We designed a new TaqMan® MGB probe, and successfully set up a PCR based method for detecting oral Streptococcus mutans. TaqMan® MGB real-time PCR is a both specific and sensitive bacterial detection method.

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.

MgB2 and Mg1-xAlxB2 single crystals: high pressure growth and physical properties

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Karpinski, J.; Kazakov, S.M.; Jun, J.; Zhigadlo, N.D.; Angst, M.; Puzniak, R.; Wisniewski, A.

2004-01-01

Single crystals of MgB 2 have been grown with a high pressure cubic anvil technique. They grow via the peritectic decomposition of the MgNB 9 ternary nitride. The crystals are of a size up to 2 x 1 x 0.1 mm 3 with a weight up to 230 μg. Typically they have transition temperatures between 38 and 38.6 K with a width of 0.3-0.5 K. Investigations of the P-T phase diagram prove that the MgB 2 phase is stable at least up to 2190 deg. C at high hydrostatic pressure in the presence of Mg vapor under high pressure. Substitution of aluminum for magnesium in single crystals leads to stepwise decrease of T c . This indicates a possible appearance of superstructures or phases with different T c 's. The upper critical field decreases with Al doping

Gap symmetry and structure of Fe-based superconductors

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Hirschfeld, P J; Korshunov, M M; Mazin, I I

2011-01-01

The recently discovered Fe-pnictide and chalcogenide superconductors display low-temperature properties suggesting superconducting gap structures which appear to vary substantially from family to family, and even within families as a function of doping or pressure. We propose that this apparent nonuniversality can actually be understood by considering the predictions of spin fluctuation theory and accounting for the peculiar electronic structure of these systems, coupled with the likely 'sign-changing s-wave' (s ± ) symmetry. We review theoretical aspects, materials properties and experimental evidence relevant to this suggestion, and discuss which further measurements would be useful to settle these issues. Satisfactoriness has to be measured by a multitude of standards, of which some, for aught we know, may fail in any given case; and what is more satisfactory than any alternative in sight, may to the end be a sum of pluses and minuses, concerning which we can only trust that by ulterior corrections and improvements a maximum of the one and a minimum of the other may some day be approached. William James, Meaning of Truth

Intraband scattering studies in carbon- and aluminium-doped MgB2

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Samuely, P.; Szabo, P.; Hol'anova, Z.; Bud'ko, S.; Canfield, P.

2006-01-01

Magnetic field effect on the point-contact spectra of the Al- and C-substituted MgB 2 is presented. It is shown that suppression of the π-band contribution to the spectrum is different in the aluminium- and carbon-doped samples. The carbon substitution leads to a stronger enhancement of the π-band scattering while the Al-doping does not change the ratio between the π and σ scatterings

Superconducting gap anisotropy and d-wave pairing in YBa2Cu3O7-δ

Science.gov (United States)

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

2018-02-01

Considering Born-Mayer-Huggins potential as a most suitable potential to study the dynamical properties of high-temperature superconductors (HTS), the many-body quantum dynamics to obtain phonon Green’s functions has been developed via a Hamiltonian that incorporates the contributions of harmonic electron and phonon fields, phonon field anharmonicities, defects and electron-phonon interactions without considering BCS structure. This enables one to develop the quasiparticle renormalized frequency dispersion in the representative high-temperature cuprate superconductor YBa2Cu3O7-δ. The superconducting gap shows substantial changes with increased doping. The in-plane gap study revealed a v-shape gap with a nodal point along kx = ±ky direction for optimum doping (δ = 0.16) and the nodal point vanished in underdoped and overdoped regimes. The dx2-y2 pairing symmetry is observed at optimum doping with the presence of s or dxy components ( < 3%) in underdoped and overdoped regimes.

Fabrication of a Scaled MgB2 Racetrack Demonstrator Pole for a 10-MW Direct-Drive Wind Turbine Generator

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Magnusson, Niklas; Eliassen, Jan Christian; Abrahamsen, Asger Bech

2018-01-01

Field windings made of MgB2 wires or tapes are considered for their potential to reduce volume, weight, and cost of large offshore wind turbine generators. To gain experience of how to use this relatively new material in full-scale generators, tests of different winding methodologies and techniques...... are needed. In this paper, we describe in detail the steps used to wind a racetrack coil with a length of 1 m and a width of 0.5 m out of 4.5 km of MgB2 superconducting tape. The width corresponds to a full-scale pole of a 10-MW generator, whereas the length of the straight section is shorter than...... the corresponding full-scale pole. The coil was built up of ten double pancake coils. Each double pancake coil was wet wound using a semiautomatic winding process, where Stycast 2850 was applied directly to the MgB2 tape without any other dedicated electrical insulation. The strengths and weaknesses of the winding...

Tunneling processes into localized subgap states in superconductors

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Ruby, Michael; Heinrich, Benjamin W.; Franke, Katharina J. [Freie Universitaet Berlin, Arnimallee 14, 14195 Berlin (Germany); Pientka, Falko; Peng, Yang; Oppen, Felix von [Freie Universitaet Berlin, Arnimallee 14, 14195 Berlin (Germany); Dahlem Center for Complex Quantum Systems, Freie Universitaet Berlin, 14195 Berlin (Germany)

2016-07-01

The Yu-Shiba-Rusinov states bound by magnetic impurities in conventional s-wave superconductors are a simple model system for probing the competition between superconducting and magnetic correlations. Shiba states can be observed in scanning tunneling spectroscopy (STS) as a pair of resonances at positive and negative bias voltages in the superconducting gap. These resonances have been interpreted in terms of single-electron tunneling into the localized sub-gap states. This requires relaxation mechanisms that depopulate the state after an initial tunneling event. Recently, theory suggests that the current can also be carried by Andreev processes which resonantly transfer a Cooper pair into the superconductor. We performed high-resolution STS experiments on single adatom Shiba states on the superconductor Pb, and provide evidence for the existence of two transport regimes. The single-electron processes dominate at large tip-sample distances and small tunneling currents, whereas Andreev processes become important at stronger tunneling. Our conclusions are based on a careful comparison of experiment and theory.

Energy gap and upper critical field of the new magnetic superconductor Mo3Sb7 found by the Andreev reflection method

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Dmitriev, V M; Rybaltchenko, L F; Ishchenko, L A; Khristenko, E V; Bukowski, Z; Troc, R

2006-01-01

We present the data of the point contact (PC) Andreev-reflection measurements on the new paramagnetic superconductor Mo 3 Sb 7 , which were used for finding the energy gap Δ and upper critical field H c2 for this compound. The maximum gap value, reduced to the zero temperature via the Bardeen-Cooper-Schrieffer (BCS) theory, turned out to be Δ (0) ≅ 0.32 meV, which is slightly smaller than that expected from the BCS theory, Δ BCS (0) ≅ 0.35 meV. The temperature dependence of the gap obeys the BCS theory approximately. The H c2 (0) value of about 16.5 kOe was obtained from fitting the experimental data to the conventional H(T) dependence, which is quadratic in temperature. This value is in close agreement with the result from magnetization measurements of 17.2 kOe

Excitation of terahertz modes localized on a layered superconductor: Anomalous dispersion and resonant transmission

Science.gov (United States)

Apostolov, S. S.; Makarov, N. M.; Yampol'skii, V. A.

2018-01-01

We study theoretically the optic transmission through a slab of layered superconductor separated from two dielectric leads by spatial gaps. Based on the transfer matrix formalism along with the Josephson plasma electrodynamic approach, we derive analytic expressions for the transmittance and identify the conditions for the perfect transmission. The special interest of the study is focused on the resonant transmission, which occurs when the wave does not propagate in the spatial gaps. Far from the resonance, the transmittance is exponentially small due to the total internal reflection from the lead-gap interface. However, the excitation of electromagnetic modes localized on the layered superconductor gives rise to a remarkable resonant enhancement of the transmission. Moreover, this phenomenon is significantly modified for the layered superconductors in comparison with usual dielectrics or conductors. The dispersion curves for the modes localized on the layered superconductor are proved to be nonmonotonic, thus resulting in the specific dependence of the transmittance T on the incidence angle θ . In particular, we predict the onset of two resonant peaks in the T (θ ) dependence and their subsequent merge into the broadened single peak with increasing of the wave frequency. Our analytical results are demonstrated by numerical data.

Persistence of metastable vortex lattice domains in MgB2 in the presence of vortex motion.

Science.gov (United States)

Rastovski, C; Schlesinger, K J; Gannon, W J; Dewhurst, C D; DeBeer-Schmitt, L; Zhigadlo, N D; Karpinski, J; Eskildsen, M R

2013-09-06

Recently, extensive vortex lattice metastability was reported in MgB2 in connection with a second-order rotational phase transition. However, the mechanism responsible for these well-ordered metastable vortex lattice phases is not well understood. Using small-angle neutron scattering, we studied the vortex lattice in MgB2 as it was driven from a metastable to the ground state through a series of small changes in the applied magnetic field. Our results show that metastable vortex lattice domains persist in the presence of substantial vortex motion and directly demonstrate that the metastability is not due to vortex pinning. Instead, we propose that it is due to the jamming of counterrotated vortex lattice domains which prevents a rotation to the ground state orientation.

Magnetic field dependence of vortex activation energy

Indian Academy of Sciences (India)

... the resistance as a function of temperature and magnetic field in clean polycrystalline samples of NbSe2, MgB2 and Bi2Sr2Ca2Cu3O10 (BSCCO) superconductors. Thermally activated flux flow behaviour is seen in all the three systems and clearly identified in bulk MgB2. While the activation energy at low fields for MgB2 ...

How to measure the cooper pair mass using plasmons in low-dimensional superconductor structures

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Mishonov, T.M.

1990-06-01

The creation of the Cooper pair mass-spectroscopy is suggested. The plasmons in low-dimensional superconductor structures (layers or wires in dielectric background) are theoretically considered to that purpose. The Cooper pair mass m * can be determined by measurements of the Doppler shift of the plasmon frequency when a direct current is applied through the superconductor. The plasmons with frequency ω lower than the superconducting gap 2 Δ can be detected by the same fare-infrared (FIR) absorption technique and grating couplings used previously for investigation of two-dimension (2D) plasmons in semiconductor microstructures. (author). 17 refs, 2 figs

Influence of Ni and Cu contamination on the superconducting properties of MgB2 filaments

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Jung, A; Schlachter, S I; Runtsch, B; Ringsdorf, B; Fillinger, H; Orschulko, H; Drechsler, A; Goldacker, W

2010-01-01

Technical MgB 2 wires usually have a sheath composite consisting of different metals. For the inner sheath with direct contact to the superconducting filament, chemically inert Nb may be used as a reaction barrier and thermal stabilization is provided by a highly conductive metal like Cu. A mechanical reinforcement can be achieved by the addition of stainless steel. In order to illuminate the influence of defects in the reaction barrier, monofilament in situ wires with direct contact between the MgB 2 filament and frequently applied reactive sheath metals like Cu, Ni or Monel are studied. Reactions of Mg and B with a Cu-containing sheath lead to Cu-based by-products penetrating the whole filament. Reactions with Ni-containing sheaths lead to Ni-based by-products which tend to remain at the filament-sheath interface. Cu and/or Ni contamination of the filament lowers the MgB 2 -forming temperature due to the eutectic reaction between Mg, Ni and Cu. Thus, for the samples heat-treated at low temperatures J C and (partly) T C are increased compared to stainless-steel-sheathed wires. At high heat treatment temperatures uncontaminated filaments lead to the highest J C values. From the point of view of broken reaction barriers in real wires, the contamination of the filament with Cu and/or Ni does not necessarily constrain the superconductivity; it may even improve the properties of the wire, depending on the desired application.

What is new in the world of superconductors?

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Das, M.P.

2002-01-01

Full text: Ever since its discovery in 1911 by Heike Kamerlingh-Onnes in Leiden, superconductivity has promised tantalising possibilities of widespread applications. After 1986 its occurrence in cuprates above the liquid nitrogen temperature reaffirmed its capabilities for very many practical uses. More recently a number of novel materials namely intercalated fullerenes (C-60) and n-cenes (anthra-cene, tetra-cene and penta-cenes), a simple bimetallic alloy (MgB2), and ferromagnetic materials under high pressure including Fe, ZrZn2, and UGe2 have surprised us with their peculiar superconducting properties. In this talk I shall give a pedagogic survey of some of our current understanding- how these novel materials superconduct. I shall highlight a host of observable anomalies associated with these superconductors and discuss if their occurrence throws any light on the microscopic understanding of the superconducting phenomenon. I shall illustrate with a number of practical applications accomplished to date

The elastic properties, generalized stacking fault energy and dissociated dislocations in MgB2 under different pressure

KAUST Repository

Feng, Huifang

2013-05-31

The 〈112̄0〉 perfect dislocation in MgB2 is suggested to dissociate into two partial dislocations in an energy favorable way 〈112̄0〉 → 1/2 〈112̄0〉 + SF + 1/2 〈112̄0〉. This dissociation style is a correction of the previous dissociation 〈1000〉 → 1/3 〈11̄00〉 SF + 1/3 〈 2100〉proposed by Zhu et al. to model the partial dislocations and stacking fault observed by transmission electron microscopy. The latter dissociation results in a maximal stacking fault energy rather than a minimal one according to the generalized stacking fault energy calculated from first-principles methods. Furthermore, the elastic constants and anisotropy of MgB2 under different pressure are investigated. The core structures and mobilities of the 〈112̄0〉 dissociated dislocations are studied within the modified Peierls-Nabarro (P-N) dislocation theory. The variational method is used to solve the modified P-N dislocation equation and the Peierls stress is also determined under different pressure. High pressure effects on elastic anisotropy, core structure and Peierls stress are also presented. © 2013 Springer Science+Business Media New York.

Vibrational spectroscopy of superconducting MgB2 by neutron inelastic scattering

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Muranaka, Takahiro

2001-01-01

Neutron inelastic scattering measurements have been performed on superconducting MgB 2 above and below T c . The temperature dependence of the generalized phonon density-of-states showed clear anomalous behaviour near 24 meV in the acoustic phonon region, which may be interpreted as evidence of a substantial contribution to the total electron-phonon coupling strength deriving from these phonons. Weaker evidence for a corresponding response in the high-energy B bond stretching phonons was also encountered. (author)

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).

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

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

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.

Transport properties and Raman spectra of impurity substituted MgB2

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Masui, T.

2007-01-01

Recent advances in the study of MgB 2 are reviewed, with focus on the transport properties and Raman scattering measurements for impurity substituted crystals. Carbon and Aluminium substitution change band filling, introduce intraband and interband scattering. These effects are seen in the temperature dependence of resistivity, Hall coefficients, and phonon peak of Raman spectra. Manganese substitution introduces magnetic scattering, that increases resistivity but gives little change in Raman spectra. The effect of disorder in neutron irradiated samples is also discussed

Production and characterization of compounds based on MgB4O7 for application in dosimetry

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Souza, Luiza Freire de

2016-01-01

Many materials with luminescent properties are used for ionizing radiation dosimetry through the thermoluminescence (TL) and optically stimulated luminescence (OSL) techniques. Detectors based on lithium fluoride (LiF), calcium sulphate (CaSO 4 ) and aluminum oxide (Al 2 O 3 ), doped or codoped with various elements, are the TL or OSL commercial dosimeters most widely used currently. However, several researches are focused to the development of new TL /OSL materials in intention to enhance the dosimetric properties, in view that no TL/OSL dosimeter has all the ideal characteristics for monitoring the radiation. In this context, magnesium tetraborate (MgB 4 O 7 ), which has been presented in the literature as a material for dosimetry TL, was investigated in this work. As there are no reports on the structural characterization of this material or regarding to its applicability on OSL dosimetry, the proposal of the present work was to develop compounds based on MgB 4 O 7 , with different doping, by solid state synthesis. It was made the structural, optical, TL and OSL characterization of the compound to verify it feasibility for application on radiation dosimetry. Initially, it was determined the calcination temperature and time for MgB 4 O 7 formation, with the use of thermal analyses and x ray diffraction. The ideal calcination was found at 900 °C for 7 hours. It were produced , in powder form, the compounds: MgB 4 O 7 , MgB 4 O 7 :Dy, MgB 4 O 7 :Dy,Li, MgB 4 O 7 :Ce, MgB 4 O 7 :Ce,Li, MgB 4 O 7 :Nd and MgB 4 O 7 :Nd,Li. For TL and OSL analyses it were produced pellets sintering at 950 °C for 2 hours. The radioluminescence (RL) analyses of MgB 4 O 7 :Dy and MgB 4 O 7 :Dy,Li shows wavelength emissions at 490, 590, 670 and 760 nm. For MgB 4 O 7 :Ce and MgB 4 O 7 :Ce,Li RL was observed wide emission band in the ultraviolet region. For the MgB 4 O 7 :Nd and MgB 4 O 7 :Nd,Li RL were not observed emission from the ultraviolet to infrared. With the results obtained from

Proximity Effect between Two Superconductors Spatially Resolved by Scanning Tunneling Spectroscopy

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

V. Cherkez

2014-03-01

Full Text Available We present a combined experimental and theoretical study of the proximity effect in an atomic-scale controlled junction between two different superconductors. Elaborated on a Si(111 surface, the junction comprises a Pb nanocrystal with an energy gap Δ_{1}=1.2  meV, connected to a crystalline atomic monolayer of lead with Δ_{2}=0.23  meV. Using in situ scanning tunneling spectroscopy, we probe the local density of states of this hybrid system both in space and in energy, at temperatures below and above the critical temperature of the superconducting monolayer. Direct and inverse proximity effects are revealed with high resolution. Our observations are precisely explained with the help of a self-consistent solution of the Usadel equations. In particular, our results demonstrate that in the vicinity of the Pb islands, the Pb monolayer locally develops a finite proximity-induced superconducting order parameter, well above its own bulk critical temperature. This leads to a giant proximity effect where the superconducting correlations penetrate inside the monolayer a distance much larger than in a nonsuperconducting metal.

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

Mechanics of a composite structure of GFRP insulators and superconductors with a gap

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Tamura, H.; Imagawa, S.; Nishimura, A.

1997-01-01

Superconducting coils in large scale magnet applications such as the Large Helical Device (LHD) are subjected to large electromagnetic force at the interfaces between conductors and electrical insulators. The insulators do not always contact the superconductor surfaces completely. This may cause a reduction of coil rigidity. Nonlinear behavior was observed in the compressive load-displacement curves in some experiments of coil packs. The nonlinear curves were found to be well fitted by an exponential function. We considered this nonlinearity as a surface contact problem and devised some analytical models to evaluate the rigidity reduction in terms of gap length. The results of this analysis also support the exponential function

Superconductivity and thermal property of MgB2/aluminum matrix composite materials fabricated by 3-dimensional penetration casting method

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Matsuda, Kenji; Saeki, Tomoaki; Nishimura, Katsuhiko; Ikeno, Susumu; Mori, Katsunori; Yabumoto, Yukinobu

2006-01-01

Superconductive MgB 2 /Al composite material with low and high volume fractions of particles were fabricated by our special pre-packing technique and 3-dimensional penetration casting method. The composite material showed homogeneous distribution of MgB 2 particles in the Al-matrix with neither any aggregation of particles nor defects such as cracks or cavities. The critical temperature of superconducting transition (T C ) was determined by electrical resistivity and magnetization to be about 37-39 K. Specific heat measurements further supported these T C findings. The Meissner effect was also verified in the liquid He, in which a piece of the composite floated above a permanent magnet. The thermal conductivity of the MgB 2 /Al composite material was about 25 W/K·m at 30K, a value much higher than those found for NbTi or Nb 3 Sn superconducting wires normally used in practice, which are 0.5 and 0.2 W/K·m at 10 K, respectively. A billet of the superconducting material was successfully hot-extruded, forming a rod. The same as the billet sample, the rod showed an onset T C of electrical resistivity of 39 K. (author)

Two-gap superconductivity in Mo8Ga41 and its evolution upon vanadium substitution

Science.gov (United States)

Verchenko, V. Yu.; Khasanov, R.; Guguchia, Z.; Tsirlin, A. A.; Shevelkov, A. V.

2017-10-01

Zero-field and transverse-field muon spin rotation/relaxation (μ SR ) experiments were undertaken in order to elucidate the microscopic properties of a strongly coupled superconductor Mo8Ga41 with Tc=9.8 K. The upper critical field extracted from the transverse-field μ SR data exhibits significant reduction with respect to the data from thermodynamic measurements indicating the coexistence of two independent length scales in the superconducting state. Accordingly, the temperature-dependent magnetic penetration depth of Mo8Ga41 is described using a model in which two s wave superconducting gaps are assumed. A V for Mo substitution in the parent compound leads to the complete suppression of one superconducting gap, and Mo7VGa41 is well described within the single s wave gap scenario. The reduction in the superfluid density and the evolution of the low-temperature resistivity upon V substitution indicate the emergence of a competing state in Mo7VGa41 that may be responsible for the closure of one of the superconducting gaps.

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...

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)

A universal explanation of tunneling conductance in exotic superconductors

OpenAIRE

Hong, Jongbae; Abergel, D. S. L.

2016-01-01

A longstanding mystery in understanding cuprate superconductors is the inconsistency between the experimental data measured by scanning tunneling spectroscopy (STS) and angle-resolved photoemission spectroscopy (ARPES). In particular, the gap between prominent side peaks observed in STS is much bigger than the superconducting gap observed by ARPES measurements. Here, we reconcile the two experimental techniques by generalising a theory which was previously applied to zero-dimensional mesoscop...

Can positron 2D-ACAR resolve the electronic structure of high-Tc superconductors

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Chan, L.P.; Lynn, K.G.; Harshman, D.R.

1992-01-01

In this paper, the authors examine the ability of the positron Two-Dimensional Angular Correlation Annihilation Radiation (2D-ACAR) technique to resolve the electronic structures of high-T c cuprate superconductors. Following a short description of the technique, discussions of the theoretical assumptions, data analysis and experimental considerations, in relation to the high-T c superconductors, are given. The authors briefly review recent 2D-ACAR experiments on YBa 2 Cu 3 O 7-x , Bi 2 Sr 2 CaCuO 8+δ and La 2-x Sr x CuO 4 . The 2D-ACAR technique is useful in resolving the band crossings associated with the layers of the superconductors that are preferentially sampled by the positrons. Together with other Fermi surface measurements (namely angle-resolved photoemission), 2D-ACAR can resolve some of the electronic structures of high-T c cuprate superconductors

Production of thermoluminescent dosemeters based on MgB4O7: Dy and MgB4O7: Tm

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Souza, Luiza Freire de; Souza, Divanizia N.

2013-01-01

The thermoluminescent dosimetry (TL) is a well-established technique for the detection of ionizing radiation in hospitals, clinics, and industrial establishments where there is the need to quantify the radiation. For this practice is require the use phosphors which are sensitive to radiation. Some phosphors are already commonly used in this practice, for example, TLD-100 (LiF: Mg, Ti), CaSO 4 :Tm and CaSO 4 :Dy. A compound that was most recently introduced in dosimetry and has many advantageous features to detect neutrons, electrons and gamma is the magnesium tetraborate (MgB 4 O 7 ), but the undoped material is not good for dosimetry, since signal does not show satisfactory thermoluminescence. The present work presents the analysis of the compound MgB 4 O 7 when doped with rare earth elements, thulium (Tm) and dysprosium (Dy). The production of MgB 4 O 7 : Dy and MgB 4 O 7 : Tm occurred under acidic conditions. Following the process of crystal growth, several tests were made on phosphors produced to verify the quality of materials as TL dosimeter. Initially, was made the identification of the crystalline phases found in the material, using the technique of X-ray diffractometry, and then were evaluated and compared the TL emission curves of the crystals with two different types of dopants, to this, the samples were irradiated with different radiation sources: 137 Cs (0,66 MeV), 60 Co (1.25 MeV) and X-rays (0.41 MeV) and based on the results was evaluated the energy dependence of phosphors. Another characteristic analyzed, was the decay of TL signal for the material (fading). The results show that the material can be an excellent TL dosimeter when doped with rare earth elements Dy and Tm. (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

The superconducting properties of co-doped polycrystalline MgB2

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Moore, J D; Perkins, G K; Branford, W; Yates, K A; Caplin, A D; Cohen, L F; Chen, Soo Kien; Rutter, N A; MacManus-Driscoll, Judith L

2007-01-01

In this study we compare the critical current density, the irreversibility line and the upper critical field of four MgB 2 polycrystalline samples, which are either undoped or have 5% carbon or 5% carbon plus either 1% aluminium or 2% zirconium. We discuss how care must be taken for the extraction of the irreversibility line in such samples. We also show how ac susceptibility and Hall probe imaging can be used to examine whether the samples remain fully connected to the highest available fields. Compared to simple 5% carbon doping we find that co-doping provides modest improvement in the pinning properties at intermediate fields in the carbon plus zirconium doped sample

Microscopic theory of the superconducting gap in the quasi-one-dimensional organic conductor (TMTSF) 2ClO4 : Model derivation and two-particle self-consistent analysis

Science.gov (United States)

Aizawa, Hirohito; Kuroki, Kazuhiko

2018-03-01

We present a first-principles band calculation for the quasi-one-dimensional (Q1D) organic superconductor (TMTSF) 2ClO4 . An effective tight-binding model with the TMTSF molecule to be regarded as the site is derived from a calculation based on maximally localized Wannier orbitals. We apply a two-particle self-consistent (TPSC) analysis by using a four-site Hubbard model, which is composed of the tight-binding model and an onsite (intramolecular) repulsive interaction, which serves as a variable parameter. We assume that the pairing mechanism is mediated by the spin fluctuation, and the sign of the superconducting gap changes between the inner and outer Fermi surfaces, which correspond to a d -wave gap function in a simplified Q1D model. With the parameters we adopt, the critical temperature for superconductivity estimated by the TPSC approach is approximately 1 K, which is consistent with experiment.

Enhancement of the critical current density in FeO-coated MgB2 thin films at high magnetic fields

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Andrei E. Surdu

2011-12-01

Full Text Available The effect of depositing FeO nanoparticles with a diameter of 10 nm onto the surface of MgB2 thin films on the critical current density was studied in comparison with the case of uncoated MgB2 thin films. We calculated the superconducting critical current densities (Jc from the magnetization hysteresis (M–H curves for both sets of samples and found that the Jc value of FeO-coated films is higher at all fields and temperatures than the Jc value for uncoated films, and that it decreases to ~105 A/cm2 at B = 1 T and T = 20 K and remains approximately constant at higher fields up to 7 T.

Effects of MgO impurities and micro-cracks on the critical current density of Ti-sheathed MgB2 wires

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Liang, G.; Alessandrini, M.; Yen, F.; Hanna, M.; Fang, H.; Hoyt, C.; Lv, B.; Zeng, J.; Salama, K.

2007-01-01

Ti-sheathed monocore MgB 2 wires with improved magnetic critical current density (J c ) have been fabricated by in situ powder-in-tube (PIT) method and characterized by magnetization, X-ray diffraction, scanning electron microscopy and electrical resistivity measurements. For the best wire, the magnetic J c values at 5 K and fields of 2 T, 5 T, and 8 T are 4.1 x 10 5 A/cm 2 , 7.8 x 10 4 A/cm 2 , and 1.4 x 10 4 A/cm 2 , respectively. At 20 K and fields of 0.5 T and 3 T, the J c values are about 3.6 x 10 5 A/cm 2 and 3.1 x 10 4 A/cm 2 , respectively, which are much higher than those of the Fe-sheathed mono-core MgB 2 wires fabricated with the same in situ PIT process and under the same fabricating conditions. It appears that the overall J c for the average Ti-sheathed wires is comparable to that of the Fe-sheathed wires. Our X-ray diffraction and scanning electron microscopy analysis indicates that J c in the Ti-sheathed MgB 2 wires can be strongly suppressed by MgO impurities and micro-cracks

Contact spectroscopy of high-temperature superconductors (Review). I - Physical and methodological principles of the contact spectroscopy of high-temperature superconductors. Experimental results for La(2-x)Sr(x)CuO4 and their discussion

Science.gov (United States)

Ianson, I. K.

1991-03-01

Research in the field of high-temperature superconductors based on methods of tunneling and microcontact spectroscopy is reviewed in a systematic manner. The theoretical principles of the methods are presented, and various types of contacts are described and classified. Attention is given to deviations of the measured volt-ampere characteristics from those predicted by simple theoretical models and those observed for conventional superconductors. Results of measurements of the energy gap and fine structure of volt ampere characteristic derivatives are presented for La(2-x)Sr(x)CuO4.

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.

de Haas-van Alphen effect investigations of the electronic structure of pure and aluminum-doped MgB2

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Carrington, A.; Yelland, E.A.; Fletcher, J.D.; Cooper, J.R.

2007-01-01

Our understanding of the superconducting properties of MgB 2 is strongly linked to our knowledge of its electronic structure. In this paper we review experimental measurements of the Fermi surface parameters of pure and Al-doped MgB 2 using the de Haas-van Alphen (dHvA) effect. In general, the measurements are in excellent agreement with the theoretical predictions of the electronic structure, including the strength of the electron-phonon coupling on each Fermi surface sheet. For the Al doped samples, we are able to measure how the band structure changes with doping. These results are in excellent agreement with calculations based on the virtual crystal approximation. We also review work on the dHvA effect in the superconducting state

Synthesis, crystal growth and structure of Mg containing β-rhombohedral boron: MgB17.4

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Adasch, Volker; Hess, Kai-Uwe; Ludwig, Thilo; Vojteer, Natascha; Hillebrecht, Harald

2006-01-01

For the first time, single crystals of Mg containing β-rhombohedral boron MgB 17.4 were synthesised from the elements in a Mg/Cu melt at 1600deg. C. The crystal structure determined by the refinement of single crystal data (space group R-3m, a=10.991(2)A, c=24.161(4)A, 890 reflections, 123 variables, R 1 (F)=0.049, wR 2 (I)=0.122) improves and modifies the former structure model derived from earlier investigations on powder samples. Mg is located on four different positions with partial occupation. While the occupation of the sites D (53.3%), E (91%) and F (7.2%) is already known from other boron-rich borides related to β-rhombohedral boron, the occupation of the fourth position (18h, 6.7%) is observed for the first time. Two boron positions show partial occupation. The summation reveals the composition MgB 17.4 and Mg 5.85 B 101.9 , respectively, confirmed by WDX measurements. The single crystals of MgB 17.4 show the highest Mg content ever found. Preliminary measurements indicate no superconductivity

Critical current density analysis of ex situ MgB2 wire by in-field and temperature Hall probe imaging

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Bartolome, E; Granados, X; Cambel, V; Fedor, J; Kovac, P; Husek, I

2005-01-01

The irreversible magnetic behaviour at different temperatures of an ex situ Fe-alloy/MgB 2 wire, exhibiting a granular compositional distribution, was studied using an in-field, high resolution Hall probe imaging system. Quantitative information about the local current density was obtained by solving the Biot-Savart inversion problem. The flux penetration and current distribution maps obtained can be attributed to a inhomogeneous compositional 'plum-cake-like' system, consisting of large, isolated MgB 2 agglomerations embedded in a matrix of finely distributed MgB 2 +MgO. The critical current densities within the grains and their evolution with the applied magnetic field and temperature have been obtained, and compared to the mean J c (H,T) in the matrix

Charge of a quasiparticle in a superconductor.

Science.gov (United States)

Ronen, Yuval; Cohen, Yonatan; Kang, Jung-Hyun; Haim, Arbel; Rieder, Maria-Theresa; Heiblum, Moty; Mahalu, Diana; Shtrikman, Hadas

2016-02-16

Nonlinear charge transport in superconductor-insulator-superconductor (SIS) Josephson junctions has a unique signature in the shuttled charge quantum between the two superconductors. In the zero-bias limit Cooper pairs, each with twice the electron charge, carry the Josephson current. An applied bias VSD leads to multiple Andreev reflections (MAR), which in the limit of weak tunneling probability should lead to integer multiples of the electron charge ne traversing the junction, with n integer larger than 2Δ/eVSD and Δ the superconducting order parameter. Exceptionally, just above the gap eVSD ≥ 2Δ, with Andreev reflections suppressed, one would expect the current to be carried by partitioned quasiparticles, each with energy-dependent charge, being a superposition of an electron and a hole. Using shot-noise measurements in an SIS junction induced in an InAs nanowire (with noise proportional to the partitioned charge), we first observed quantization of the partitioned charge q = e*/e = n, with n = 1-4, thus reaffirming the validity of our charge interpretation. Concentrating next on the bias region eVSD ~ 2Δ, we found a reproducible and clear dip in the extracted charge to q ~ 0.6, which, after excluding other possibilities, we attribute to the partitioned quasiparticle charge. Such dip is supported by numerical simulations of our SIS structure.

Full-gap superconductivity with strong electron correlations in the β-pyrochlore KOs2O6

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Kasahara, Y.; Shimono, Y.; Kato, T.; Hashimoto, K.; Shibauchi, T.; Matsuda, Y.; Yonezawa, S.; Muraoka, Y.; Yamaura, J.; Nagao, Y.; Hiroi, Z.

2008-01-01

To elucidate the superconducting gap structure and the influence of rattling motion on quasiparticle dynamics in the superconducting state of KOs 2 O 6 , the thermal conductivity and microwave surface impedance were measured at low temperatures. The magnetic field dependence of thermal conductivity and temperature dependence of penetration depth demonstrate full-gap superconductivity in KOs 2 O 6 . The quasiparticle scattering time is strongly enhanced in the superconducting state, indicating a strong electron inelastic scattering in the normal state. These results highlight that KOs 2 O 6 is unique among superconductors with strong electron correlations

Probe high-Tc Superconductors by neutron scattering

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Fauque, B.

2007-10-01

This research thesis explores two aspects of the phase diagram of high critical temperature superconductors: the evolution of AF correlations and the nature of the pseudo-gap phase. The author presents the problematic associated with these particular semiconductors, describes the neutron diffusion probe used in this study, and presents the three families of semiconductors investigated during this research: Bi 2 Sr 2 CaCu 2 O 8+x , YBa 2 Cu 3 O 6+x and La 2-x Sr x CuO 4 . He reports the results of the investigation of the spin dynamics in the Bi 2 Sr 2 CaCu 2 O 8+x . He reports a detailed investigation of the magnetic cross section associated with different types of non conventional magnetic orders proposed as candidates for the pseudo-gap phase. He reports and comments the results obtained for the pseudo-gap phase for the YBa 2 Cu 3 O 6+x and La 2-x Sr x CuO 4 families. Finally, the author discusses the consequences of the obtained results for the description of the diagram phase of high critical temperature semiconductors

Tests on MgB2 for Application to SRF Cavities

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Tajima, T.; Canabal, A.; Los Alamos; Zhao, Y.; Wollongong U.; Romanenko, A.; Cornell U., LNS; Nantista, C.; Tantawi, S.; SLAC; Phillips, L.; Jefferson Lab; Iwashita, Y.; Kyoto U., Inst. Chem. Res.; Campisi, I.; Oak Ridge; Moeckly, B.; Superconductor Tech., Santa Barbara

2006-01-01

Magnesium diboride (MgB 2 ) has a transition temperature (T c ) of ∼40 K, i.e., about 4 times higher than niobium (Nb). Studies in the last 3 years have shown that it could have about one order of magnitude less RF surface resistance (R s ) than Nb at 4 K and seems to have much less power dependence than high-T c materials such as YBCO. However, it was also found that it will depend on the way you deposit the film. The result from on-axis pulsed laser deposition (PLD) showed rapid increase in R s with higher surface magnetic fields compared to the film deposited with reactive evaporation method

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...

Femosecond dynamics of quasi-particles in YBa2Cu3O7-δ superconductor films

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Han, S.G.; Vardeny, Z.V.; Symko, O.G.; Koren, G.

1991-01-01

This paper reports on the transient electronic response of YBa 2 Cu 3 O 7-δ epitaxially grown HT c superconductor thin films in the femtosecond time domain, using transient photoinduced reflectivity (ΔR) with 60 fsec time resolution. For temperatures T > T c only a bolometric signal was observed with ΔR > O. For T c ΔR < O with a temperature dependent rise time of order 300 fsec followed by a relaxation (of order 3 psec) into a state with Δ are explained in terms of quasi-particle (QP) electronic response giving ΔR < O. Thus the femtosecond rise time is interpreted as avalanche multiplication of QP across the gap 2Δ and the subsequent picosecond relaxation as QP recombination. The QP optical response is explained within the two fluid model

Mapping flux avalanches in MgB2 films-equivalence between magneto-optical imaging and magnetic measurements

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Colauto, F; Choi, E M; Lee, J Y; Lee, S I; Yurchenko, V V; Johansen, T H; Ortiz, W A

2007-01-01

Vortex avalanches are known to occur in MgB 2 films within a certain range of temperatures and magnetic fields. These events, resulting from a thermomagnetic instability, were first revealed by real-time magneto-optical imaging, which exposed dendritic paths of abrupt flux propagation. This very powerful technique has, however, a practical limitation, since sensors that are currently available cannot be used at high magnetic fields. This letter shows that results obtained using dc magnetometry are in good correspondence with those furnished by magneto-optical imaging, demonstrating that the two techniques can be efficiently used as complementary tools to map vortex avalanches in superconducting films. (rapid communication)

Signatures of granular superconductivity and Josephson effects in macroscopic measurements: the case of new superconductors

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

S Senoussi

2006-09-01

Full Text Available   We report systematic investigations of the magnetic superconducting properties of the new superconducting materials (NS: New high temperature superconductors (HTS, Organic superconductors (OS, fullerenes, carbon nanotubes, MgB2 etc. We show that, contrary to conventional superconductors where the superconducting state can be coherent over several tenths of km, the macroscopic coherence range lc of the NS is often as short as 0.1 to 10 µm typically. As a consequence, the magnetic properties are dominated by granular-like effects as well as Josephson coupling between grains. Here, we concentrate on HTS ceramics and organic superconductors exclusively. In the first case we observe three distinct regimes: (i At very low field (H < 5 Oe to say all the grains are coupled via Josephson effect and lc can be considered as infinite. (2 At intermediate field (5 < H < 50 Oe, typically the grains are gradually decoupled by H and/or T. (iii At higher fields all the grains are decoupled and lc roughly coincides with the diameter of the metallurgical grains. The case of OS is more subtle and is connected with a kind of order-disorder transition that occurs in most of them. For instance, in this study, we exploit quenched disorder (after crossing such a transition in the -(BEDT-TTF2Cu[N(CN2]Br layered organic superconductor to get new insights on both the superconducting state (T £ 11.6 K and the glassy transition at Tg, by studying the superconducting properties as functions of annealing time and annealing temperature around the glassy transition. Our main result is that the data can be described by a percolation molecular cluster model in which the topology and the growth of the molecular clusters obey an Ising spin-glass-like model with Tg ≈ 80 K for the hydrogenated compound and Tg ≈ 55 K for the fully deuterated one.

Holographic entanglement entropy in two-order insulator/superconductor transitions

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Peng, Yan, E-mail: yanpengphy@163.com; Liu, Guohua

2017-04-10

We study holographic superconductor model with two orders in the five dimensional AdS soliton background away from the probe limit. We disclose properties of phase transitions mostly from the holographic topological entanglement entropy approach. Our results show that the entanglement entropy is useful in investigating transitions in this general model and in particular, there is a new type of first order phase transition in the insulator/superconductor system. We also give some qualitative understanding and obtain the analytical condition for this first order phase transition to occur. As a summary, we draw the complete phase diagram representing effects of the scalar charge on phase transitions.

Design of an MgB2 race track coil for a wind generator pole demonstration

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Abrahamsen, Asger Bech; Magnusson, Niklas; Jensen, Bogi Bech

2014-01-01

An MgB2 race track coil intended for demonstrating a down scaled pole of a 10 MW direct drive wind turbine generator has been designed. The coil consists of 10 double pancake coils stacked into a race track coil with a cross section of 84 mm × 80 mm. The length of the straight section is 0.5 m...

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.

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.)

Effect of single interstitial impurity in iron-based superconductors with sign-changed s-wave pairing symmetry

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Yu, Xiang-Long, E-mail: xlyu@theory.issp.ac.cn [Key Laboratory of Materials Physics, Institute of Solid State Physics, Chinese Academy of Sciences, P. O. Box 1129, Hefei 230031 (China); Liu, Da-Yong; Quan, Ya-Min; Zheng, Xiao-Jun [Key Laboratory of Materials Physics, Institute of Solid State Physics, Chinese Academy of Sciences, P. O. Box 1129, Hefei 230031 (China); Zou, Liang-Jian, E-mail: zou@theory.issp.ac.cn [Key Laboratory of Materials Physics, Institute of Solid State Physics, Chinese Academy of Sciences, P. O. Box 1129, Hefei 230031 (China); Department of Physics, University of Science and Technology of China, Hefei 230026 (China)

2015-12-15

Highlights: • Effects of single interstitial impurity are studied in iron-based superconductors. • Bound states within the superconducting gap can be induced. • The interstitial impurity can induce a π phase shift of pairing order parameter. • For strong magnetic scattering the bound-state peak can appear at the Fermi level. - Abstract: We employ the self-consistent Bogoliubov-de Gennes (BdG) formulation to investigate the effect of single interstitial nonmagnetic/magnetic impurity in iron-based superconductors with s ± -wave pairing symmetry. We find that both the nonmagnetic and magnetic impurities can induce bound states within the superconducting (SC) gap and a π phase shift of SC order parameter at the impurity site. However, different from the interstitial-nonmagnetic-impurity case characterized by two symmetric peaks with respect to zero energy, the interstitial magnetic one only induces single bound-state peak. In the strong scattering regime this peak can appear at the Fermi level, which has been observed in the recent scanning tunneling microscope (STM) experiment of Fe(Te,Se) superconductor with interstitial Fe impurities (Yin et al. 2015 [44]). This novel single in-gap peak feature also distinguishes the interstitial case from the substitutional one with two peaks. These results provide important information for comparing the different impurity effects in the iron-based superconductors.

Urine Stasis Predisposes to Urinary Tract Infection by an Opportunistic Uropathogen in the Megabladder (Mgb) Mouse

Science.gov (United States)

Becknell, Brian; Mohamed, Ahmad Z.; Li, Birong; Wilhide, Michael E.; Ingraham, Susan E.

2015-01-01

Purpose Urinary stasis is a risk factor for recurrent urinary tract infection (UTI). Homozygous mutant Megabladder (Mgb-/-) mice exhibit incomplete bladder emptying as a consequence of congenital detrusor aplasia. We hypothesize that this predisposes Mgb-/- mice to spontaneous and experimental UTI. Methods Mgb-/-, Mgb+/-, and wild-type female mice underwent serial ultrasound and urine cultures at 4, 6, and 8 weeks to detect spontaneous UTI. Urine bacterial isolates were analyzed by Gram stain and speciated. Bladder stones were analyzed by x-ray diffractometry. Bladders and kidneys were subject to histologic analysis. The pathogenicity of coagulase-negative Staphylococcus (CONS) isolated from Mgb-/- urine was tested by transurethral administration to culture-negative Mgb-/- or wild-type animals. The contribution of urinary stasis to CONS susceptibility was evaluated by cutaneous vesicostomy in Mgb-/- mice. Results Mgb-/- mice develop spontaneous bacteriuria (42%) and struvite bladder stones (31%) by 8 weeks, findings absent in Mgb+/- and wild-type controls. CONS was cultured as a solitary isolate from Mgb-/- bladder stones. Bladders and kidneys from mice with struvite stones exhibit mucosal injury, inflammation, and fibrosis. These pathologic features of cystitis and pyelonephritis are replicated by transurethral inoculation of CONS in culture-negative Mgb-/- females, whereas wild-type animals are less susceptible to CONS colonization and organ injury. Cutaneous vesicostomy prior to CONS inoculation significantly reduces the quantity of CONS recovered from Mgb-/- urine, bladders, and kidneys. Conclusions CONS is an opportunistic uropathogen in the setting of urinary stasis, leading to enhanced UTI incidence and severity in Mgb-/- mice. PMID:26401845

Evidence for Crossed Andreev Reflections in (100)YBa2Cu3O7+δ-SrRuO3 superconductor-ferromagnet bilayers

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Asulin, I.; Yuli, O.; Millo, O.; Koren, G.

2005-01-01

Full Text:Since the ferromagnetic side of a superconductor-ferromagnet junction is spin polarized, Andreev reflections are suppressed. Consequently, the proximity induced superconductor order parameter in the ferromagnet is expected to decay rapidly, on the order of a nm, the typical coherence length in a ferromagnet. Our scanning tunneling spectroscopy measurements on thin epitaxial (100)YBa 2 Cu 3 O 7+ δ-SrRuO 3 (YBaCuO-SrO) bilayers, where SrO is a ferromagnet, indeed show that on most of the junction area the superconductor order parameter vanishes in the SrO layers thicker than 8 nm. However, we find localized regions, arranged along narrow (< 10 nm) stripes, where the order parameter (superconductor-like gap structure) penetrates the ferromagnet over more than 20 nm. This is attributed to 'Crossed Andreev Reflections,' taking place at domain boundaries, where an electron from one magnetic domain is retro reflected as a hole with opposite spin in an adjacent domain. Our observation may account for the (not abundant) cases where a long-range proximity effect was found in superconductor-ferromagnet proximity systems

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.

Development and fundamental study on a superconducting induction/synchronous motor incorporated with MgB2 cage windings

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Nakamura, T; Yamada, Y; Nishio, H; Sugano, M; Amemiya, N; Kajikawa, K; Wakuda, T; Takahashi, M; Okada, M

2012-01-01

In this paper, a fundamental study of the rotating characteristics of a induction/synchronous motor by use of superconducting MgB 2 cage windings is carried out based on analysis and experiment. Current transport properties of the produced monofilamentary MgB 2 wires are firstly characterized, and then utilized for the determination of the current carrying capacity of the rotor bars. Then, the motor model is designed and fabricated with the aid of conventional (copper) stator windings. We successfully observe the synchronous rotation of the fabricated motor at a rotation speed range from 300 to 1800 rpm. We can also realize an almost constant torque versus speed curve, and this characteristic is explained from the steep take-off of the electric field versus the current density curve, based on the nonlinear electrical equivalent circuit. These results are promising for the practical applications of a high efficiency motor for a liquid hydrogen circulation pump.

Multifilamentary MgB2 wires fracture behavior during the drawing process

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Shan, D.; Yan, G.; Zhou, L.; Li, J.S.; Li, C.S.; Wang, Q.Y.; Xiong, X.M.; Jiao, G.F.

2012-01-01

The fracture behavior of 6 + 1 filamentary MgB 2 superconductive wires is presented here. The composite wires were fabricated by in situ Powder-in-Tube method using Nb as a barrier and copper as a stabilizer. The microstructure of the material has a great influence on its fracture behavior. The microstructural aspects of crack nucleation and propagation are discussed. It shows that there are complicated correlations between fracture behavior and the main influencing parameters, which contain specific drawing conditions (drawing velocity, reduction in area per pass), materials properties (strength, yield stress, microstructure) as well as the extent of bonding between the metal sheaths at their interface.

The energy band structure of A{sub x}Fe{sub 2}Se{sub 2} (A = K, Rb) superconductors

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Zabidi, Noriza A. [Physics Department, Centre for Defence Foundation Studies, Universiti Pertahanan Nasional Malaysia, Kuala Lumpur 59200 (Malaysia); Azhan, Muhd. Z. [Defence Science Department, Faculty of Defence Science and Technology, Universiti Pertahanan Nasional Malaysia, Kuala Lumpur 59200 (Malaysia); Rosli, A. N. [Faculty of Science and Technology, Universiti Sains Islam Malaysia, Nilai 71800, Negeri Sembilan (Malaysia); Shrivastava, Keshav N. [School of Physics, University of Hyderabad, Hyderabad 500046 (India)

2014-03-05

We study the band structure of antiferromagnetic A{sub x}Fe{sub 2}Se{sub 2} (A = K, Rb) superconductors by using first-principles electronic structure calculations which is density functional theory. In the vicinity of iron-vacancy, we identify the valence electrons of A{sub x}Fe{sub 2}Se{sub 2} will be filled up to the Fermi level and no semiconducting gap is observed. Hence, the A{sub x}Fe{sub 2}Se{sub 2} is a metallic instead of semiconducting which leads to superconductivity in the orbital-selective Mott phase. Similarly, there is non-vanishing density of states at the Fermi level.

Quasiparticle lifetimes and tunneling times in a superconductor-insulator-superconductor tunnel junction with spatially inhomogeneous electrodes

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Golubov, A.A.; Houwman, E.P.; Gijsbertsen, J.G.; Flokstra, J.; Rogalla, H.; le Grand, J.B.; de Korte, P.A.J.

1994-01-01

The low-energy quasiparticle scattering and recombination lifetimes for a proximity sandwich of two superconductors S and S' with different bulk energy gaps, are calculated as a function of the spatial coordinate and temperature. The spatial dependence of the order parameter and density of states are calculated on the basis of a microscopic model of the proximity effect, based on the Usadel equations, for dirty superconductors in thermal equilibrium. A zero boundary resistance between S and S' and a Boltzmann-like energy distribution of the excess quasiparticles are assumed. In the case of a small diffusion time constant an effective quasiparticle relaxation rate into and excitation rate out of the reduced gap region in the SS' sandwich are obtained as a function of (finite, but low) temperature and strength of the proximity effect, determined by the parameter γ m , by averaging over the energies and positions of the quasiparticles. In the same way effective tunneling times for electrons and holes tunneling out of the trap in the SS' sandwich to the other electrode of an SS'IS''S junction are determined as a function of temperature, voltage, and γ m

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)

Electronic Identification of the Parental Phases and Mesoscopic Phase Separation of K_{x}Fe_{2-y}Se_{2} Superconductors

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

F. Chen

2011-12-01

Full Text Available The nature of the parent compound of a high-temperature superconductor (HTS often plays a pivotal role in determining its superconductivity. The parent compounds of the cuprate HTSs are antiferromagnetically ordered Mott insulators, while those of the iron-pnictide HTSs are metals with spin-density-wave order. Here we report the electronic identification of two insulating parental phases and one semiconducting parental phase of the newly discovered family of K_{x}Fe_{2-y}Se_{2} superconductors. The two insulating phases exhibit Mott-insulator-like signatures, and one of the insulating phases is even present in the superconducting and semiconducting K_{x}Fe_{2-y}Se_{2} compounds. However, it is mesoscopically phase-separated from the superconducting or semiconducting phase. Moreover, we find that both the superconducting and semiconducting phases are free of the magnetic and vacancy orders present in the insulating phases, and that the electronic structure of the superconducting phase could be developed by doping the semiconducting phase with electrons. The rich electronic properties discovered in these parental phases of the K_{x}Fe_{2-y}Se_{2} superconductors provide the foundation for studying the anomalous behavior in this new class of iron-based superconductors.