Transition to gapless superconductivity in YBa2(Cu1−x Zn x )3O7

Point-contact spectra of YBa₂(Cu_1–x Zn _x )₃O₇/Ag are studied at various temperatures. The differential resistance dV/dI of the point contacts shows gap-related structures belowT _c which can be attributed to Andreev reflection. Evaluation of many spectra for each sample taken at 4.2 K yields a wide distribution of voltages /e at which these structures occur. The upper limit varies roughly as expected from the depression ofT _c by Zn-doping from /e=29 mV (x=0) to 9 mV (x=0.05), while the lower limit decreases much faster and disappears forx=0.05. Hence, the Zn doped samples exhibit a tendency to gapless superconductivity as suggested earlier on the basis of specific-heat measurements.     

The microregion compositional variation in Y1Ba2Cu3O7−x material

We have investigated the microstructure and compositional distribution of the Y₁Ba₂Cu₃O_7−x superconductor with scanning electron microscopy, energy dispersive X-ray spectrometry and X-ray diffraction. It has been found that the microregion compositions are far from the ideal composition. This is especially due to the yttrium content which is higher than the expected amount in the interfacial region between crystalline grains.     

Y(Ba1-xGdx)2Cu3O7-δ的临界电流密度特征

多晶样品Y(Ba1-xGdx)2Cu3O7-δ(YBGCO)(x=0.0,0.02,0.03,0.05,0.08,0.10)是由标准固相反应法制备获得。XRD的Rietveld精修显示,Gd成功地部分替代YBa2Cu3O7-δ(YBCO)晶胞中的Ba位。实验结果表明,对于某一固定磁场Y(Ba1-xGdx)2Cu3O7-δ的临界电流密度(Jc)在x=0.05有最大值。此外,尽管YBGCO的超导温度(Tc)明显地单调下降,但微量的Gd掺杂导致磁场中YBGCO的Jc的提高。Jc随着Gd掺杂量不同而变化的特征行为可以认为,是由Gd掺杂引起的两种不同的效果竞争共同作用造成的,即纳米尺度范围内空间分布不均匀性和超导性的变化。     

Cation disorder and structural studies on Bi4−x Nd x Ti3O12 (0.0≤x≤2.0)

Here we report the results of combined powder X-ray and neutron diffraction studies of Bi_4?x Nd _x Ti₃O₁₂ (0.0 ≤ x ≤ 2.0) compositions. The parent Bi₄Ti₃O₁₂ has an orthorhombic lattice (space group: B2cb) with unit cell parameters a = 5.4432(5) Å, b = 5.4099(5) Å and c = 32.821(2) Å, and V = 966.5(1) ų. This orthorhombic lattice is retained in all the studied compositions. The unit cell parameters gradually decrease with Nd³⁺ ion concentration with a discontinuity at x = 0.75. Orthorhombicity of the lattice decreases with increase in Nd³⁺ content in the lattice. The orthorhombic unit cell parameters for a representative Bi₂Nd₂Ti₃O₁₂ composition are: a = 5.3834(9), b = 5.3846(9) and c = 32.784(1) Å. The observed orthorhombic distortion at x = 2.0 is very small and thus the crystal structure apparently has a pseudo-tetragonal lattice. In addition, Nd³⁺ preferentially substitutes in the perovskite slab of the Aurivillius structure. The fraction of Nd³⁺ in the fluorite slab increases with increase in Nd³⁺ contents.     

Effect of Nd on the Superconductivity of Nd1+x Ba2-x Cu3O y with 0.1 ≤ x ≤ 0.35

The effect of Nd substitution at the Ba sites has been studied in Nd_1+x Ba_2-x Cu₃O _y system for 0.1 x 0.35. Orthorhombic to tetragonal structural phase transition occurs at about x = 0.17. With the increase of Nd, the T _c value decreases and T increases, where T is the difference between the onset and critical temperatures and indicates the sharpness of the transition. These changes are explained by ac-susceptibility measurements on Nd_1.1Ba_1.9Cu₃O_7.12 at 0.10 Oe. The susceptibility curves show the presence of about four phases, which are not detectable by X-ray diffraction technique.     

Observation of RF superconductivity in Y1Ba2Cu3O9−δ AT 3 GHz

Two samples of Y₁Ba₂Cu₃O_9−δ, one fabricated at Los Alamos National Laboratory and the other at the University of Wuppertal, were tested in the rf field of a niobium cavity at 3 GHz and in a temperature range from 4.2 to 300 K. The data show a sharp reduction of the Joule losses in the samples beginning at an onset temperature of 98 and 92 K, respectively. The residual losses of the sample were measured at 4.2 K where the host cavity was superconducting. The ratio of these losses to the ones observed slightly above T_c was less than 1.1 × 10⁻². This indicates that only a small fraction of the conduction electrons of the Y₁Ba₂Cu₃O_9-δ sample remain unpaired. The dependence of the rf losses on the rf magnetic field allows the determination of a maximum surface current density which is found to be about 5 × 10⁴ A/cm².     

Effect of process parameters on the properties of plasma-sprayed superconducting Y1Ba2Cu3O7−x coatings

A study on the effect of powder, spray and coating parameters on superconducting properties of plasma-sprayed Y₁Ba₂Cu₃O_7–x coatings has been carried out. Optimised spray parameters to yield strong, adherent and dense coatings on many substrates including AISI 304 SS and alumina have been obtained. Coatings show superconductivity after oxygen annealing at 950°C for an hour. Coatings thinner than 100 m do not show zero resistivity down to 77 K due to weak links between granular superconductors. Coatings prepared with fine powder have superior superconducting properties, viz. higherT _c andJ _c values than coarse powder coatings. The choice of substrate material strongly affects theJ _c values.     

Synthesis and native defectivity of Zn1−x V x O (0 ≤ x ≤ 0.03) photocatalysts

Nanodisperse solid solutions Zn_1?x V _x O (0 ≤ x ≤ 0.03) with high numbers of defects in an oxygen sublattice are synthesized via the precursor technique. ESR analysis reveals that V _O ⁺ oxygen vacancies are the main defects of the oxygen sublattice in the Zn_1?x V _x O structure. The Zn_1?x V _x O (0 < x ≤ 0.15) solid solutions exhibit high photocatalytic activity during hydroquinone oxidation in water upon irradiation with UV and visible light.     

Y2Ba1Cu1O5-δ掺杂对Y1Ba2Cu3O7-δ的超导电性及其晶格结构的影响

本文采用固相反应法成功制备出一系列Y123与Y211的摩尔比为1：x（x=0、0．14、0．27、0．3、0．35、0．4、0．45、0．47、0．5、0．8、1．18）的样品．实验结果表明：在0．35≤x≤0．5范围内,Y123的起始转变温度Tonset临界转变温度Tc以及转变宽度△Tc都在x=0．47出现了拐点,这...     

Study of the effect of the substitution of O by F,S, and Cl on the superconductivity of Y1Ba2Cu3O7−δ

We have studied the superconducting transitions of Y₁Ba₂Cu₃D _x O_7–x– samples where O has been replaced by D=F, S, or Cl andx=0.2-2. No single phase compounds were obtained forx>0.2. No dramatic increase inT _c was registered. Generally the results can be interpreted as a dilution of the highT _c 1 2 3 phase by other phases as the dopant concentration increases, ultimately suppressingT _c completely. Possibly there is an increase ofT _c for an intermediate dopant range,x, in the Cl series.     

Composition-related structural,thermal and mechanical properties of Ba1−xSrxTiO3 ceramics (0 ≤ x ≤ 0.4)

The Ba_1?xSr_xTiO₃ (BST) ceramics were prepared by conventional ceramic method. The crystalline structure and morphology were studied by X-ray diffraction and scanning electron microscopy, respectively. Experimental results show that increase of sintering temperature leads to an uncontrolled precipitating of the phase with a lower content of Ti. The dielectric constant and specific heat as a function of composition and temperature were investigated. The increasing concentration of Sr ions leads to a shift of the Curie point below room temperature. To determine the elastic constants (the Young's modulus E, the shear modulus G and the Poisson's ratio v) of BST, a method of measurement of the longitudinal (ν_L) and transverse (ν_T) ultrasonic wave velocities for this type of material was developed. The structural, dielectric and mechanical properties of BST ceramics were discussed in terms of microstructure and chemical composition     

Peculiarities of magnetic flux penetration and trapping in monocrystalline (YBa2Cu3O7−x and Bi2Sr2CaCu2O8+x ) and polycrystalline (YBa2Cu3O7−x ) samples

A comparative analysis of the magnetic flux trapping in monocrystalline and polycrystalline HTSC samples is carried out, and the possibility of employing the dependence of the trapped magnetic flux on the external magnetic field for obtaining comparative estimates of the effect of pinning centers is determined.     

Influence of Pr dopant on the dielectric properties and Curie temperatures of Ba1−3x Pr2x Ti0.95Sn0.05O3 (0.01≤x≤0.05) ceramics

Three perovskite-structured ceramic phases Ba_1?3x Pr_2x Ti_0.95Sn_0.05O₃ (BPTS-x) with x=0.01, 0.03, and 0.05 have been synthesized by solid-state reaction method. Obtained BPTS-x ceramics were investigated by X-ray diffraction and dielectric properties measurements. Analysis of all the ceramic samples using X-ray diffraction method at room temperature and its Rietveld refinement inferred rhombohedric structure with the space group $R\bar{3}c$ . The temperature variation of real permittivity gives evidence of the ferroelectric phase transition and of the relaxation behavior. With increasing Pr concentration, the degree of diffuse phase transition was enhanced, and a linear reduction in the transition temperature was produced. The conductivity spectra have been investigated by the Jonscher universal power law (σ(ω)=σ _dc+Aω ^s ) and attributed to hopping conduction mechanism.     

Microwave absorption in a Y1Ba2Cu3O7−x single crystal near the superconducting transition

Y₁Ba₂Cu₃O_7−x single crystals are investigated near T _c ≈92 K in fields 0<H⩽9 kOe using a modified ESR spectrometer. The temperature modulation method is used for the first time, together with the traditional magnetic modulation method, to detect microwave responses in single crystals. Superconducting-transition peaks shifted relative to one another in temperature and differing in shape are observed in the temperature dependence of the corresponding signals ∂R/∂H and ∂R/∂T (R — microwave absorption). The evolution of these peaks as a function of the field and the angle π between H and the c axis of the single crystal is traced. It is shown that the difference in the temperature dependences of the derivatives ∂R/∂H and ∂R/∂T is due to the broadening of the superconducting transition characteristic of HTSCs. Fiz. Tverd. Tela (St. Petersburg) 41, 14–17 (January 1999)     

用热天平方法研究Y1Ba2Cu3O7—x高温超导体的氧吸收过程

用热天平分析方法,探讨了Y-1Ba_2CuO_(7-x)高温超导体在四角结构组态下的吸氧过程动力学。实验结果表明,在氧气氛下,具有四角晶体结构的Y_1Ba_2Cu_3O_(7-x)高温超导体,在不同的等温条件下,通过吸取气体氧,使其氧含量提高并转变为正交晶体结构。此过程分两阶段,氧分子首先被超导体吸附,然后通过吸附层向晶体内部扩散,其后一过程的扩散激活能约为19600cal/mol。     

The hole concentration on oxygen sites in the highT c superconductor Y1−Ba2−Cu3−O7−x

From XPS core level spectroscopy the average copper charge on the Cu sites in the high temperature superconductor Y₁Ba₂Cu₃O_7–x is determined as function of the oxygen vacancy concentrationx. Analysis of these data leads to the suggestion that there are holes on the oxygen sites in the basal plane of the crystal structure. The probability for holes on these oxygen ions is rather constant for 0x0.3 with a value of 0.64 and decreases to zero forx=0.5. The dependence of the superconducting transition temperature on the hole concentration is discussed. An energy level diagram for Cu²⁺ and Cu³⁺ in YBa₂Cu₃O_7–x is constructed.