The observation of sonic range velocities of normal zone propagation in high current density superconductor

The sonic range velocities of normal zone propagation in high current density superconductor were observed. The experimental results were obtained on samples of 0.16–0.11 mm thickness of a monofilamentary NbTi wire with critical current density J_c about 10⁶ A/cm². The s→n change of the sample sections was recorded after the normal zone stimulation by the magnetic field impulse. The voltage increasing speed reached 1.5×10⁷ V/s, and the normal zone propagation velocity exceeded 5±1 km/s. This high velocity can be caused by the detonation-like propagation of normal phase in superconductor with high current density.     

Propagation velocity of the normal zone in a cooled composite superconductor with an external coating

An investigation was made of the influence of a nonconducting shell on the velocity of irreversible propagation of the normal zone along a cooled composite superconductor. It is shown that even a coating of negligible thickness may lead to a substantial deterioration in the thermal stabilization conditions of intensively cooled current-carrying elements. Zh. Tekh. Fiz. 68, 95–97 (December 1998)     

Effect of heat capacity and conductivity of NbTi normal matrix of a composite superconductor on the stability to magnetic flux jumps

The stability against magnetic flux jumps has experimentally been studied in the external magnetic field for three samples from NbTi composite superconductors, one monofilamentary and two multifilamentary. A comparison between the experiment and theory of thermomagnetic stability of composite superconductors has been carried out. We have determined threshold values of the rates of the external magnetic fields, starting from which heat capacity and conductivity of the normal composite matrix become determining stabilizing factors. For the first time, the increasing dependence of field of first magnetic flux jump on the rate of the rise in the external magnetic field has been experimentally registered in the superconducting wire for MRI. The reason for this effect is the shunting effect of a high pure copper matrix and the low volume fraction of a superconductor in the composite (~10%).     

Heat release accompanying current injection into a composite superconductor in a stable superconducting state

An investigation is made of the Joule dissipation of energy in the superconducting phase of a composite superconductor as the current in it increases. It is shown that at high rates of current injection the dissipative processes are characterized by an appreciable release of heat, which substantially influences the critical energies for the loss of superconductivity and the velocity of the normal zone. An analytical expression is given for calculating the power of the thermal losses during current injection. Zh. Tekh. Fiz. 69, 125–128 (April 1999)     

Josephson current in a clean superconductor normal-metal superconductor junction

Based on a simple matrix method, we investigate the effects of Fermi vector mismatch and elastic barrier on the dc Josephoson current through a ballistic, normal, one-dimensional quantum channel in contact with two superconducting electrodes. Our results are able to account for the recent experimental results.     

Josephson current in a clean superconductor normal-metal superconductor junction

Based on a simple matrix method, we investigate the effects of Fermi vector mismatch and elastic barrier on the dc Josephoson current through a ballistic, normal, one-dimensional quantum channel in contact with two superconducting electrodes. Our results are able to account for the recent experimental results.     

Persistent current in a superconductor/quantum-dot ring/superconductor system

By means of the non-equilibrium Green's function technique, the inter-dot and Josephson currents in a superconductor/quantum-dot ring/superconductor (S/QDR/S) system are theoretically investigated. We found that a persistent current can coexist with the Josephson current in this hybrid QDR system when the inter-dot currents are all flowing in the clockwise (or anticlockwise) direction. The magnitude and direction of the persistent current can be controlled experimentally by the adjustment of some structure parameters, such as the quantum dot (QD) levels, the phase difference of the two external superconducting leads and the magnetic flux phase factor.     

Energy losses in a thin-wall tube multifilament composite superconductor carrying a transport current in a time-varying transverse magnetic field

An approach and formulae are given to calculate the hysteresis, coupling, eddy-current and Ohmic losses in a thin-wall tube multifilament composite superconductor carrying a transport current under low excitation by a homogeneous transverse time-varying magnetic field, taking into account possible filament saturation and current sharing effects. The technique can be applied to a single layer superconducting cable twisted around a thin-wall normal conducting tube.     

Heat capacity of a current carrying superconductor

We present an analysis of the heat capacity of a superconductor carrying a constant applied electric current. We find that the heat capacity diverges with an exponent of 0.5 at a depressed transition temperature. This result is similar to a recent calculation of the heat capacity of superfluid helium under an applied heat current.     

Longitudinal critical current in a ferrite-type-II superconductor structure

The effect of the interaction of Abrikosov vortices with the magnetization on the longitudinal vortical instability in a layered ferromagnet-type-II superconductor structure is analyzed. It is shown that in the vicinity of the orientational phase transition in the magnet, where the transverse magnetic susceptibility is large, the magnitude of the longitudinal critical current in the structure can be almost 1.5 times smaller than in the isolated superconductor. The reason for this is compensation of stray field sources outside the superconductor by “magnetic charges” arising from a jump in the transverse magnetization on the surface of the magnet. A structure is considered in which the thickness of the superconductor significantly exceeds the London penetration depth of the magnetic field and the wavelength of the critical mode. For this reason (in light of the absence of high-quality bulk high-temperature superconductors), to experimentally study the described phenomenon it is necessary to use conventional low-temperature superconductors. Fiz. Tverd. Tela (St. Petersburg) 39, 231–235 (February 1997)     

Dynamics of a magnetic flux jump in a composite superconductor

An attempt is made at direct experimental verification of the theory of thermomagnetic instability in composite superconductors under conditions of external magnetic field or transport current variations. The development of thermomagnetic instability in the form of a magnetic flux jump is experimentally studied in a bulk low-temperature composite niobium-tin superconductor. The liquid-helium-cooled sample representing a compressed tape helix (helicoid) is placed in an external magnetic field orthogonal to the turn plane and varying with a constant rate. For the first time, both the magnetic induction inside the sample and its temperature are simultaneously detected in experiments. The sample overheat preceding the magnetic flux jump is measured to be 0.23 + 0.02 K. This value is found to be independent of the rate of the external magnetic field variation and the value of the jump itself and coincides, within the experimental accuracy, with the temperature parameter of electric field buildup involved in the general exponential I-V characteristic of the composite superconductor, which depends on temperature and magnetic induction.     

Zeeman effects on Josephson current in d-wave superconductor/d-wave superconductor junctions

This paper solves a self-consistent equation for the d-wave superconducting gap and the effective exchange field in the mean-field approximation, and studies the Zeeman effects on the d-wave superconducting gap and thermodynamic potential. The Josephson currents in the d-wave superconductor(S)/insulating layer(I)/d-wave S junctions are calculated as a function of the temperature, exchange field, and insulating barrier strength under a Zeeman magnetic field on the two d-wave Ss. It is found that the Josephson critical currents in d-wave S/d-wave S junction to a great extent depend on the relative orientation of the effective exchange field of the two S electrodes, and the crystal orientation of the d-wave S. The exchange field under certain conditions can enhance the Josephson critical current in a d-wave S/I/d-wave S junction.     

Observation of instability-induced current redistribution in a spherical-torus plasma

A motional Stark effect diagnostic has been utilized to reconstruct the parallel current density profile in a spherical-torus plasma for the first time. The measured current profile compares favorably with neoclassical theory when no large-scale magnetohydrodynamic instabilities are present in the plasma. However, a current profile anomaly is observed during saturated interchange-type instability activity. This apparent anomaly can be explained by redistribution of neutral beam injection current drive and represents the first observation of interchange-type instabilities causing such redistribution. The associated current profile modifications contribute to sustaining the central safety factor above unity for over five resistive diffusion times, and similar processes may contribute to improved operational scenarios proposed for ITER.     

On the mean life-time of the persistent current in a two-dimensional superconductor

Using an approximate form of the time dependent Gizburg-Landau equation we find that in a two dimensional system quasi-persistent currents are present, their mean life-time exponentially larger.     

Propagation of magnetostatic waves in a ferrite plus high-T c superconductor structure in the presence of transport current in the superconductor

A thin-film structure consisting of a ferrite and a high-T _c superconductor was used to investigate the effct of the transport current in the superconductor on the amplitude-frequency characteristic and dispersion of surface magnetostatic waves (MSWs) in a ferrite film. It was found that the nature of energy transfer between the MSWs and the superconducting film undergoes a significant change as the transport current is varied. In particular, in one of the current ranges, energy can be transferred both from the MSWs to the superconductor and back again, whereas in another range it can only be efficently transferred to the superconductor. Fiz. Tverd. Tela (St. Petersburg) 39, 2195–2202 (December 1997)     

Influence of alloying of the matrix on the solubility of fibers in Mg-B composite material

A study is made of the influence of alloying on the solubility of boron fibers in the composite material Mg-B. Three models of solutions are considered on the assumption that the boron atoms either occupy interstices or replace the matrix atoms. A calculation is made of the parameters of the interaction between the fiber material with the magnesium matrix and with alloying elements of different valence. A correlation is established between the valence of an alloying element and its influence on the solubility of a fiber in the matrix. Silicon and aluminum have positive parameters of the interaction with the boron atoms and prevent dissolution of the fibers in the matrix.Translated from Izvestiya Vysshikh Uchebnykh Zavedenii, Fizika, No.12, pp.33–36, December, 1980.     

A new concept for a current switch based on a high-temperature superconductor

A new concept for a device for protecting an alternating-current network is offered. It is based on a combination of a superconducting limiter of a short-circuit current and a circuit breaker. A high-temperature superconductor in the form of a pile of plane rings is used as the active element of the limiter. The test results of a model of such a limiter are obtained in the steady-state short-circuit regime. The characteristics of composite silverless materials used for design of the breaker are given.