MEASUREMENT OF ANISOTROPIC ACTIVATION ENERGIES IN HIGH-Tc SUPERCONDUCTORS

For single crystalline and melt-textured samples there exist several different activation energies for fluxoid creep, which are related to various vortex orientations and hopping directions. We discuss how to obtain these anisotropic activation energies from magnetic relaxation data and present measured results of a melt-textured YBCO sample.     

YBCO熔融织构准单晶中的进氧和脱氧扩散研究

采用热重法研究了YBCO熔融织构准单晶中氧的化学扩散过程. 与以往的实验不同，采用固定 氧偏压变化温度的方法获得氧浓度梯度. 拟合实验所得重量等温弛豫曲线可知，在375—600 ℃温区内，熔融织构准单晶的氧化学扩散系数比单晶体高出约50％，但都约为10^{-10c m2s-1，激活能为～1eV. 对YBCO熔融织构准单晶中的进氧和脱氧研 究表 明两者具有相同的速率，证实实验过程中环境氧分压的改变会导致进氧和脱氧过程不一致. 关键词： 高温超导 氧扩散 熔融织构 热重法}     

A possible replacement of single crystal by melt-textured material in the study of YBa2Cu3O7−y

Improved superconducting properties were observed in melt-textured YBa₂Cu₃O_7-y ceramic material. The inductive current density has a small field dependence up to 5.5 T over a wide temperature range. The field and temperature dependences of the magnetic properties are similar to the behavior found in single crystals. Values of the intragrain critical current density in melt-texture samples have the same order of magnitude as in single crystals. The reduced porosity and improved grain alignment help to probe intrinsic physical properties that depend on crystallographic orientation. Thus experiments similar to those involving single crystals are possible. The modified Bean critical state model applied to single crystals can also be used in these melt-textured samples. Thus, it is possible to use melt-textured samples in some basic research which originally required the use of single crystals.     

Compiling some well-known anomalies of granular superconductors and recognizing their innate dependence on sample preparation and processing

Following a recent paper reviewing the current understanding of the most common anomalies exhibited by superconductors, the present contribution reports some recent results which further demonstrate that, in good-quality melt-textured samples, the fishtail anomaly becomes experimentally accessible as the granularity generated by oxygen deficiency is decreased by re-oxygenation of the samples.     

Trapped field and levitation force in melt-textured YBCO doped with Ni and Li

Trapped magnetic fields and levitation forces at 77 K have been studied in bulk melt-textured YBCO with single grains of 26 mm, doped with different content of Li and Ni. Li dopant results in higher trapped field than Ni indicating that Li additions are more effective in increasing pinning capabilities.     

中子辐照熔融织构YBa2Cu3Oy的临界电流

测量了中子辐照熔融织构YBa₂Cu₃O_y样品从1.5K到85K之间一系列温度下的磁化曲线。磁场H平行于c轴时,在6K观察到磁通跳跃。中子辐照可使临界电流提高一个数量级。分析了临界电流的各向异性,辐照增强与磁场的关系和主要的钉扎中心。讨论了磁通跳跃的物理模型。 关键词：     

Application of random walk concept to the cyclic diffusion mechanisms for self-diffusion in intermetallic compounds

Huntington–Elcock–McCombie (HEM) mechanism involving six consecutive and correlated jumps, a triple-defect mechanism (TDM) involving three correlated jumps and an anti-structure bridge (ASB) mechanism invoking the migration of an anti-structure atom are the three mechanisms currently in vogue to explain the self- and solute diffusion in intermetallic compounds. Among them, HEM and TDM are cyclic in nature. The HEM and TDM constitute the theme of the present article. The concept of random walk is applied to them and appropriate expressions for the diffusion coefficient are derived. These equations are then employed to estimate activation energies for self-diffusion via HEM and TDM processes and compared with the available experimental data on activation energy for self-diffusion in intermetallic compounds. The resulting activation energies do not favour HEM and TDM for the self-diffusion in intermetallic compounds. A comparison of the sum of experimentally determined activation energies for vacancy formation and migration with the activation energies for self-diffusion determined from radioactive tracer method favours the conventional monovacancy-mediated process for self-diffusion in intermetallic compounds.     

熔融织构YBCO的磁性

测量了熔融织构YBCO样品从1.5K到89K的磁化曲线。磁场H平行于c轴时,在1.5K,7K和10K观察到磁通跳跃,在15—83K的温度区间观察到峰值现象。详细分析了磁化曲线和磁临界电流的各向异性。讨论了晶粒之间连接的性质和主要的钉扎中心。 关键词：     

Reconstruction of critical current density profiles from AC loss measurements

A method of reconstruction of critical current profiles from measurements of a hysteretic AC loss is proposed. As an example, we have applied this approach to study the degradation in the bulk melt-textured HTS sample with a resonance oscillations technique developed earlier for granular HTS samples and now modified to study HTS bulks. The critical current density profile was determined after the degradation in the thin undersurface layer of about 60 μm.     

Diffusion of single adatoms of platinum,iridium and gold on platinum surfaces

Diffusion of single adatoms of platinum iridium and gold on platinum surfaces has been studied experimentally using field ion microscopy and theoretically using Morse potentials to describe the adatom bonding. The order of increasing activation energies for the surfaces studied was (111), (113), (011), (133), (001) and calculated activation energies agreed satisfactorily with the experimental values. On (113) and (011) platinum the activation energies for the adsorbates increased in the order Au, Pt, Ir. The calculations show that this variation arises largely from differences in the adsorbate binding energy, with the differences in adatom size having little effect. Diffusion of Au on (011) platinum occurred only along the direction of the surface channels, as is to be expected from the surface structure. In contrast, Pt and Ir adatoms were found to diffuse in two dimensions on (011). Since direct inter-channel jumps by adatoms should require large activation energies, it is proposed that the observed inter-channel adatom transfers proceed by a surface vacancy mechanism.     

Direct observation of charge-carrier capture in an array of self-assembled InAs/GaAs quantum dots

In this work, charge-carrier capture by an array of self-assembled InAs/GaAs quantum dots was directly observed for the first time by capacitance recharge. It is proposed to process the obtained transient-capture data by a similar method to that used for emission, by the box-car method. The capture activation energies are determined and compared with the emission activation energies.     

High-T c superconducting magnetic bearings for rotation-based devices

Summary A Modified-Melt-Powder-Melt-Growth (MMPMG) technique has been developed for the preparation of melt-textured Y-Ba−Cu−O pellets. To test their performances, the samples were characterized with respect to their microstructure, pinning strength and interaction force with permanent magnets. A superconducting magnetic bearing was built and integrated in a levitating flywheel system for energy storage. Paper presented at the “VII Congresso SATT?, Torino, 4–7 October 1994. Under a Fondazione Confalonieri grant.     

Structure and defects at Y2BaCuO5 interfaces in melt-textured YBa2Cu3Ox superconductors

Y₂BaCuO₅ (211) inclusions are prominent microstructural features found in melt-textured YBa₂Cu₃O_x (123) superconductors. These particles are of interest because the 123/211 interfaces and the interface-associated defects have been proposed to be flux pinning centers. In addition, the 211 particles are believed to be heterogeneous nucleation centers of dislocation which can increase the critical current density of 123. Unfortunately, only limited studies have been performed on these particles to ascertain their roles in flux pinning. In this investigation, 211 particles, the interfacial structure and defects in undeformed and mechanically deformed melt-textured 123 have been studied by transmission electron microscopy. It was found that there appears to be a preferred orientation between large oblong 211 particles and the 123 matrix. In addition, while the 123/211 interfaces in undeformed 123 are sharp and relatively undistorted, the interfaces in deformed 123 samples are much thicker. Also, the distribution of strained regions and dislocations around oblong 211 particles in undeformed 123 is nonuniform; the interfaces of low surface curvature are relatively free of defects while the surfaces of high curvature are abundant in dislocations. In contrast, the 123/211 interfaces in deformed 123 samples contain high density of dislocations regardless of interface curvature.     

最高熔化温度对GdBaCuO单畴块材生长及磁悬浮性能的影响

采用熔融织构生长工艺结合冷籽晶法,通过调整最高熔化温度,成功制备出直径53mm的GdBCO单畴超导块材.不同高温下淬火坯体的XRD图谱表明,提高最高熔化温度对Gd123相的充分熔解和大单畴的生长具有重要意义.最高熔化温度对块材的磁悬浮性能有重要影响,最高温度偏低不利于熔体中气体排出,制成的单畴存在大量孔洞,使磁悬浮力下降;适当提高最高熔化温度,可减少单畴内部的孔洞,使材料致密从而提高磁悬浮力.     

Magnetic-relaxation study in melt-textured ErBa2Cu3O7−δ ceramic material

We have studied the zero-field-cooled magnetic relaxation in the melt-textured ErBa₂Cu₃O_7– ceramic material. The magnetic relaxation rate dM/d (ln t) exhibits strong temperature and field dependence in the temperature range up to 80 K and the field range up to 5.5 T. The magnetic relaxation behavior observed in the melt-textured ErBa₂Cu₃O_7– ceramic sample is similar to that in single crystals. The magnetization to noise ratio is much improved, in particular, for temperatures approaching the superconducting transition temperature and for low magnetic fields. Several theoretical models were explored to fit the experimental data.     

Atomistic simulation of the point defects in TaW ordered alloy

Combining molecular dynamics (MD) simulation with modified analytic embedded-atom method (MAEAM), the formation, migration and activation energies of the point defects for six-kind migration mechanisms in B₂-type TaW alloy have been investigated. The results showed that the anti-site defects Ta_W and W_Ta were easier to form than Ta and W vacancies owing to their lower formation energies. Comparing the migration and activation energies needed for six-kind migration mechanisms of a Ta (or W) vacancy, we found that one nearest-neighbour jump (1NNJ) was the most favourable because of its lowest migration and activation energies, but it would lead to a disorder in the alloy. One next-nearest-neighbour jump (1NNNJ) and one third-nearest-neighbour jump (1TNNJ) could maintain the ordered property of the alloy but required higher migration and activation energies. So the 1NNNJ and 1TNNJ should be replaced by straight [100] six nearest-neighbor cyclic jumps (S[100]6NNCJ) (especially) or bent [100] six nearest-neighbour cyclic jumps (B[100]6NNCJ) and [110] six nearest-neighbor cyclic jumps ([110]6NNCJ), respectively.     

Atomistic origin of the thermodynamic activation energy for self-diffusion and order-order relaxation in intermetallic compounds II: Monte Carlo simulation of B2-ordering binaries

Abstract

The validity of previously derived formulae expressing the activation energies for self-diffusion and ‘order–order’ relaxations in intermetallics in terms of the activation energies of more elementary processes involved in the phenomena is tested by simulation of particular binary systems. The simulation results were in good agreement with the tested formulae. It was shown that the relationship between the activation energies observed in triple-defect B2-ordering binaries, where the value of the activation energy for order–order relaxations is substantially lower than that for self-diffusion, does not hold in the case of non-triple-defect binaries. Using the tested formulae, the origin of the effect was elucidated and attributed to the atomistic origin of the tendency for triple-defect disordering.     

Entrapment of inert gas ions near molybdenum surface

The thermal desorption spectra of inert gas ions (neon, argon and krypton) injected with various energies (430–1950 eV) into a polycrystalline molybdenum target with various dosages (6.4×10¹²−3.9×10¹⁴ ions/cm²) are reported. At least four different states of binding of the trapped atoms corresponding to the activation energies for desorption have been observed from the spectra. The activation energies are found to be relatively insensitive to the species of the bombarding ion, incident ion energy and the dosage. The shapes of the spectra are strongly influenced by the depth of penetration of the ions into the solid. The activation energies deduced are in good agreement with those reported for the migration of atoms and defects in molybdenum.     

Grain boundary deformation in Cd-Zn and Zn-Al alloys

Activation energies for creep have been measured on fine-grained and coarse-grained specimens of pure cadmium, zinc, and Cd-Zn and Zn-Al alloys in the temperature range (0·4–0·8)T _m. It is found that in the case of fine-grained specimens the activation energies for creep are equal to the activation energies for grain boundary diffusion in cadmium and zinc, and in the case of coarse-grained specimens — to that of volume self-diffusion.