Effects of surface damage on critical current density in MgB2 thin films

We investigated the influence of surface damage on the critical current density (J_c) of MgB₂ thin films via 140-keV Co-ion irradiation. The J_c(H) of the surface-damaged MgB₂ films was remarkably improved in comparison with that of pristine films. The strong enhancement of J_c(H) caused by a surface damage in MgB₂ films can be ascribed to additional point defects along with an atomic lattice displacement introduced through low-energy Co-ion irradiation, which is consistent with the change in the pinning mechanism, from weak collective pinning to strong plastic pinning. The irreversible magnetic field (H_irr) at 5 K for surface-damaged MgB₂ films with a thickness of 850 and 1300 nm was increased by a factor of approximately 2 compared with that of a pristine film. These results show that the surface damage produced by low energy ion irradiation can serve as an effective pinning source to improve J_c(H) in a MgB₂ superconductor.     

Crystal orientation dependence of the critical current density in a-axis- and c-axis-oriented MgB2 films

We have investigated the critical current density for MgB₂ films having various crystal orientations prepared by using a hybrid physical-chemical vapor deposition system. An enhancement of the critical current density is clearly presented in MgB₂ films with an a-axis or a b-axis orientation rather than a c-axis orientation. X-ray diffraction patterns reveal a suppression of c-axis orientations while a (100) orientation becomes dominant, and the surface morphology of the a-axis-oriented film shows that the orientation of the c-axis-oriented MgB₂ grains parallel to the plane of the substrate. As the a-axis orientation becomes more dominant in the MgB₂ films, the field performance of the critical current density clearly becomes better. These results suggest that the synthesis of MgB₂ with high ab-plane orientations is one of the keys to enhancing the critical current density in MgB₂.     

MgB2超导膜的厚度与其Jc(5K,0T)的关系

通过混合物理化学气相沉积法 (hybrid physical-chemical vapor deposition, HPCVD), 在(000l) SiC 衬底上制得一系列从10 nm到8 μm的MgB₂超导膜样品, 并对它们的形貌、超导转变温度T_c 和临界电流密度J_c与膜厚度的关系进行了研究. 观察到T_c随膜厚度增加上升到最大值后, 尽管膜继续增厚, 但T_c值保持近乎平稳, 而J_c则先随膜厚度增加上升到最高值后, 继而则随膜的厚度的增加而下降. MgB₂膜的T_c(0)和T_c(onset)值与膜厚的关系基本一致, T_c(0)在膜厚为230 nm处达到最大值T_c(0)=41.4 K, 而J_c(5K,0T)在膜厚为100 nm时达到最大值, J_c (5 K, 0 T)=2.3×10⁸A·cm^-2, 这也说明了我们能用HPCVD方法制备出高质量干净MgB₂超导膜. 本文研究的超导膜厚度变化跨度非常大, 从10 nm级的超薄膜到100 nm级的薄膜, 再到几微米的厚膜, 如此T_c和J_c对膜厚度变化的依赖就有了较完整、成体系的研究. 并且本文的工作对MgB₂超导薄膜制备的厚度选取具有实际应用意义. 关键词： 2超导膜')" href="#">MgB₂超导膜 混合物理化学气相沉积法 厚度 临界电流密度     

Dendritic flux avalanches and nonlocal electrodynamics in thin superconducting films

We report a mechanism of nonisothermal dendritic flux penetration in superconducting films. Our numerical and analytical analysis of coupled nonlinear Maxwell and thermal diffusion equations shows that dendritic flux pattern formation results from spontaneous branching of propagating flux filaments due to nonlocal magnetic flux diffusion and positive feedback between flux motion and Joule heating. The branching is triggered by a thermomagnetic edge instability, which causes stratification of the critical state. The resulting distribution of thermomagnetic microavalanches is not universal, because it depends on a spatial distribution of defects. Our results are in good agreement with experiments on Nb films.     

Enhanced critical current density of MgB2 thin films deposited at low temperatures by ZnO seed impurity

We report a facile method to enhance the critical current density (J_c) of superconducting MgB₂ thin films. MgB₂ thin films were deposited on zinc acetate dehydrate (Zn(CH₃COO)₂2H₂O) spin-coated Al₂O₃ (000l) substrates by using a hybrid physical-chemical vapor deposition system at low temperatures. Synthesis of MgB₂ at low temperatures can reduce the substitution of Zn into the Mg site, hence avoiding the reduction of superconducting critical temperature. MgB₂ thin films grown on ZnO-buffered layers showed a significant enhancement of J_c in the magnetic field due to the creation of additional pinning sources, namely point defects and grain boundaries. Broad peaks were observed in the magnetic field dependence of the flux pinning force density, indicating competition of different pinning sources.     

脉冲磁场处理对碳纳米管掺杂MgB2线材临界电流密度的影响

对碳纳米管(CNT)掺杂MgB2超导体磁场处理后的行为进行了研究. 结果表明,CNT掺杂MgB2超导体经5T脉冲磁场处理后临界电流密度Jc(H)在低磁场下提高了2-3倍,高场下提高一个数量级以上,扫描电镜结果显示CNT沿着处理磁场方向规则排列并且成为MgB2基体的形核中心和高效的磁通钉扎中心.     

关于MgB2/Al2O3超导薄膜电阻转变和各向异性的研究

利用电子束蒸发方法将MgB2超导薄膜沉积到Al2O3(001)衬底上.采用标准的四引线法研究了磁场平行和垂直超导薄膜ab平面下的电阻转变.一个激活能模型 U(T,H)= U0(1-T/(Tc+δ))n (1-H/Hc2(0))m被建立用来分析超导薄膜磁通线的激活能和电阻转变,结果表明该模型能够在整个转变温度范围描述超导体磁通线的激活能和电阻转变.另外,利用多项式Hc2(t)=Hc2(0)+At+Bt2分析了MgB2/Al2O3超导薄膜的上临界磁场,获得了该超导薄膜的各向异性参数γ=Hc2ab(0)/Hc2c(0)= 2.26.     

硬度和电负性对掺杂二硼化镁体系临界电流密度的影响

依据Slater过渡态计算法计算出的元素的硬度和电负性作为标度,通过对二硼化镁及掺杂二硼化镁超导体硬度和电负性的计算,研究了二硼化镁及掺杂二硼化镁超导体硬度和电负性与临界电流密度的关系,发现其具有较好的规律性。由此,提出用硬度均衡值ηcq和电负性的平均效应值cχq作为提高掺杂二硼化镁超导体临界电流密度的一个新依据,对今后二硼化镁超导电性的改善有很好的指导意义。     

Superconducting MgB2 films on MgO substrates

We report the preparation of homogeneous, polycrystalline MgB₂ films on single-crystalline MgO substrates by screen printing and airbrush methods. The superconducting material was obtained by the reaction of Mg vapor with boron precursor layers in special steel casings under argon/hydrogen atmosphere at 800 °C and ambient pressure. After polishing of the surface, films with a thickness of about 2 m were obtained. Electrolytic polishing improved the surface smoothness of the samples. Transition temperatures of about 33 K were measured with irreversibility fields of up to 6 T at 20 K. Transport critical current densities of 2×10⁹ Am^-2 were obtained at 4.2 K in self-field for a MgB₂ film on single-crystalline MgO. PACS 74.72.Yg; 74.76.Db; 74.60.Jg     

Current percolation and anisotropy in polycrystalline MgB(2)

The influence of anisotropy on the transport current in MgB(2) polycrystalline bulk samples and wires is discussed. A model for the critical current density is proposed, which is based on anisotropic London theory, grain boundary pinning, and percolation theory. The calculated currents agree convincingly with experimental data, and the fit parameters, especially the anisotropy, obtained from percolation theory agree with experiment or theoretical predictions.     

Temperature and field dependence of the anisotropy of MgB2

The anisotropy gamma of the superconducting state of high quality single crystals of MgB2 was determined, using torque magnetometry with two different methods. The anisotropy of the upper critical field was found to be temperature dependent, decreasing from gamma approximately 6 at 15 K to 2.8 at 35 K. Reversible torque data near T(c) reveal a field dependent anisotropy, increasing nearly linearly from gamma approximately equal to 2 in zero field to 3.7 in 10 kOe. The unusual temperature dependence is a true bulk property and can be explained by nonlocal effects of anisotropic pairing and/or the k--> dependence of the effective mass tensor.     

Stoichiometry dependence of the critical current density in pure and nano-SiC doped MgB2/Fe tapes

The stoichiometry dependence of the microstructure and superconducting properties of pure and nano-SiC doped MgB₂/Fe tapes was systematically investigated. The tapes prepared with the composition of a slight deficiency of Mg (Mg_0.9B₂ and Mg_xB₂(SiC)_0.1 (x = 0.9 and 1.0)) showed the best transport J_c. Adding a slight excess of Mg like 5%, as being done by many researchers, was not beneficial for the J_c improvement as expected. The onset T_c was not significantly changed in both doped and undoped tapes by adding excess of boron or magnesium, but the transition widths were broadened due to the induced impurities. The slightly-Mg-deficient pure samples show smaller grain sizes, which corresponds to a better J_c–B performance at high magnetic field due to the enhanced grain boundary pinning. The field dependence of J_c in nano-SiC doped tapes was almost not influenced by varying the starting Mg content although microstructural difference can still be seen, suggesting that the flux pinning ability was mainly controlled by the carbon substitution effect for boron.     

关于MgB2超导多层膜间临界厚度的研究

利用多级的阶梯状势垒近似方法,应用于MgB<,2>作为超导体的SSeS结,对其临界厚度从基本原理入手并进行理论推导,获得超导多层膜的临界厚度公式,并对该公式展开讨论,取得一系列较有价值的结论.     

Superconducting MgB2 films obtained by magnetron sputtering

Superconducting MgB₂ films with a superconducting transition temperature of 24 K were obtained by magnetron sputtering. The high homogeneity of the films was demonstrated by the magneto-optical imaging of the magnetic flux penetration.     

Superconducting critical current of sputtered Nb-Ge films

The temperature dependence of the superconducting critical current density J_c(T) in zero applied field from 4.2 K to T_c has been measured for 15 films of Nb-Ge with varying composition, deposition conditions, and radiation damage. The results show (i) the enhanced superconductivity observed in stoichiometric Nb₃Ge as well as nonstoichiometric films is “bulk like” rather than filamentary, (ii) a simple correlation of the form which is reasonably independent of how the T_c has been achieved, and (iii) some additional evidence that the enhanced T_c of the films is not due to their chemical composition alone.     

Vortex avalanches and magnetic flux fragmentation in superconductors

We report the results of numerical simulations of nonisothermal dendritic flux penetration in type-II superconductors. We propose a generic mechanism of dynamic branching of a propagating hot spot of a flux flow/normal state triggered by a local heat pulse. The branching occurs when the flux hot spot reflects from inhomogeneities or the boundary on which magnetization currents either vanish, or change direction. The hot spot then undergoes a cascade of successive splittings, giving rise to a dissipative dendritic-type flux structure. This dynamic state eventually cools down, turning into a frozen multifilamentary pattern of magnetization currents.     

退火时间对MgB_2超导薄膜的影响

在多晶A l2O3衬底上,以B2H6作为硼源,化学气相沉积先驱B薄膜,采用Mg扩散方法,在不同退火时间条件下制备了MgB2超导薄膜。通过电阻-温度曲线测量、X射线衍射分析和扫描电子显微镜形貌观测方法,研究了退火时间对MgB2薄膜的超导特性、晶体结构、表面形貌的影响。     

Effect of SiC buffer layer on flux pinning property of MgB2 tapes

In this paper we aimed at investigating the flux pinning property of MgB₂ films on hastelloy tapes which are buffered on various thicknesses of SiC layers. We have observed that the increase in thickness of the SiC buffer layer is very closely related with the systematic improvement of the field dependence of the critical current densities (J_c) of MgB₂ tapes while the values of J_c decreased. According to the analysis of the pinning force density (F_p), there exist two pinning sources both in the pure MgB₂ and in the MgB₂ film with the thinnest SiC buffer layer. On the while, the pinning source observed in the MgB₂ films with thicker SiC buffer layers appears to be different from those previously mentioned. The different pinning behaviors of MgB₂ films may suggest that there be an additional pinning center working on the MgB₂ films with thick SiC buffer layers. The microstructural analyses of MgB₂ films confirmed that intra-granular defects and columnar grain boundaries may be a dominant pinning mechanism in the pure MgB₂ and the MgB₂ film with 170 nm-thick SiC buffer layer. For the MgB₂ films with thicker SiC buffer layers, carbon diffusion into the MgB₂ film, which is defined by the Auger electron spectroscopy, may be the origin of the additional pinning mechanism.