Development of buffer layers on 30 mm wide textured metal substrates for REBCO coated conductors

We have been studying REBa₂Cu₃O_x (RE: rare earth elements) coated conductors on clad-type substrates. We developed coated conductors on the 10 mm wide clad-type tape, and succeeded in obtaining the maximum critical current of 380 A/cm with the 2.0 μm thick GdBa₂Cu₃O_x superconducting film. At present, we are trying to widen the tape width from 10 mm to 30 mm in order to increase production throughput. We report our recent progress on scaling-up of the buffer layers and their properties.     

热处理温度对化学溶液沉积GdBiO_3薄膜生长的影响

以铋、钆的硝酸盐等制备前驱溶胶体系,用CSD法在SrTiO3(100)基底上制备出c轴织构良好的可作为涂层导体缓冲层的GdBiO3(GBO)薄膜。首先利用差热分析的结果对GBO薄膜分解过程的吸、放热情况进行了研究,确定了较为适当的有机物分解工艺。在此基础上研究了不同外延成相热处理温度对GBO薄膜生长的影响,并对较高温度处理后样品产生裂纹的原因进行了初步分析。GBO薄膜的相组成和微结构利用XRD和SEM进行分析。研究结果表明,在Ar气氛中适宜于GBO薄膜生长的最佳温度在770℃度附近,在此条件下可以制备出表面平整致密的GBO薄膜。     

In situ observation and simulation of growth process of faceted RE123 crystals

To clarify the growth mechanism of faceted REBa₂Cu₃O_7−δ (RE123, RE = Sm, Y) crystals, the growth process of the crystals was observed in situ by using a high temperature microscope. The growth rate of each faceted interface of a crystal growing from the liquid + 211 phases under an undercooling was obtained from the relationship between the position of each interface and growth time. It was observed that some of the faceted interfaces of a growing crystal stopped growing after a period of time, while other interfaces continued to grow with a growth rate approximated by a function of the undercooling. The above stoppage of the growth was observed in situ for the first time, and this fact could give powerful support to the mechanism for a similar phenomenon in REBCO films which were fabricated by the trifluoroacetates metal organic deposition method: growing microstructures of RE123 crystals in the film were revealed by transmission electron microscopy (TEM) for quenched specimens. Some very thin a-axis grains were formed by a change in c-axis growth rate. Furthermore, we showed the above growth and stop phenomena of faceted interfaces of REBCO crystal grains using numerical simulations.     

Electric-magnetic-force characteristics of rare earth barium copper oxide superconductor high-field coils based on screening effect and strain sensitivity

Rare earth barium copper oxide (REBCO) is the most researched and commercialized second-generation high-temperature superconducting material. Due to the anisotropic structure, strong deformation sensitivity, and central field errors caused by screening current effects, it is still a challenge for commercialization applications. In this study, the transversely isotropic constitutive relationship is selected as the mechanical model based on the structural characteristics of REBCO tapes, and suitable microelements are selected to equate the elastic constants using their average stress-strain relationships. Then, a two-dimensional axisymmetric model for coils wound by single-layer tapes is constructed to analyze the dependence of the electric-magnetic-force distribution in the tape on the strain. Finally, the anisotropic approximation of the homogenized bulk method is used to equate large-turn high-field coils, and the electric-magnetic-force distribution characteristics of the coils with/without screening effects and mechanical strain conditions are investigated, respectively. The results reveal that the mechanical strain has a weakening effect on the electromagnetic field distribution of superconducting tapes, but causes a significant enhancement in the force field distribution. In the presence of 0.5% mechanical strain, the maximum weakening of the peak value of the current density and the critical current density inside the high-field coil can reach about 8% and 13%, respectively, with a nearly 5 times increase in the peak stress. The screening current makes the current field distribution inside the coil improve by about 10 times. The screening current induced magnetic field can reach up to 0.8 T, making the relative error of the high-field coil center up to 7.8%.     

R&D of coated conductors for applications in Japan

On the research and development of coated conductors in Japan, the I_c characteristics and the length have been remarkably improved in the national project. Five hundred meter-long tapes with higher I_c values than 300 A/cm-width were realized by the pulsed laser deposition (PLD) and the metal organic deposition using trifluoroacetates (TFA-MOD) processings for the superconducting layer on the IBAD-GZO buffered substrates. In order to realize the low cost by the increasing the production rate of the ion beam assisted deposition (IBAD) layer, the process of IBAD-MgO was developed and a 1000 m-long IBAD buffer tape was fabricated at an extremely high production rate of 1 km/h. On the other hand, the artificial pinning center has been introduced in both PLD and MOD processing. The BaZrO₃ nano-rods were aligned along the c-axis of GdBCO superconducting films by the PLD process. The J_c value in the magnetic field parallel to the c-axis was remarkably improved. Additionally, the BaZrO₃ nano-particles were uniformly dispersed in YGdBCO films by the TFA-MOD process and the J_c–B–θ property was confirmed to be isotropic.     

Phase formation and microstructure in Re1-x CaxBa2Cu3Oz (Re=Y, Eu, Er; x=0, 0.2, 0.3) superconducting ceramics

We have investigated the influence of Ca-substitution and different rare earths on the microstructure of RE_1-x Ca_xBa₂Cu₃O_7-δ (RE= Y, Eu, Er; x=0, 0.2, 0.3) superconducting ceramics. Scanning electron microscopy, X-ray microanalysis and energy dispersive spectroscopy have been used to study the microstructure and the chemical composition of the samples. A correlation was established between the polycrystalline microstructure and phase formation depending on the additive content. We observed that calcium is distributed uniformly in the crystals. The formation of minor impurity phases improved the sintering conditions.     

Superconducting properties of Sm0.33Eu0.33Gd0.33Ba2Cu3Oy films by metal-organic deposition using metal 2-ethylhexanates

We have prepared Sm_0.33Eu_0.33Gd_0.33Ba₂Cu₃O_y (SEGBCO) films on LaAlO₃ single-crystal substrates by metal-organic deposition using 2-ethylhexanate solutions which contain no fluorine. The SEGBCO film fired at 850 °C under a low oxygen partial pressure of 2 × 10⁻⁶ atm exhibited strong c-axis oriented X-ray diffraction peaks and weak a/b-axis oriented peaks of the SEGBCO phase, and had a granular surface. High resolution cross-sectional transmission electron microscope images indicated the epitaxial growth of the SEGBCO film on the substrate with overgrowth of a/b-axis oriented grains. The critical temperature and critical current density values of the SEGBCO film was 86.5 K and 1.29 MA/cm², respectively, at 77.3 K at the self-field.     

Solubility of YBa2Cu3O7−δ and Nd1+xBa2−xCu3O7±δ in the BaO/CuO flux

The knowledge of the phase relations and solubilities in the Y–Ba–Cu–O and Nd–Ba–Cu–O systems are of fundamental importance for crystal growth and liquid-phase epitaxy of YBa₂Cu₃O_7−δ (YBCO) and Nd_1+xBa_2−xCu₃O_7±δ (NdBCO). The determination of the solubility curve of YBCO and NdBCO in a BaO/CuO flux containing 31 mol% BaO was done by observation of the formation and dissolution of crystals on the surface of the high-temperature solution. The heat of the solution of YBCO at 1000°C was found to be 34.7 kcal/mol, and for NdBCO at 1060°C, it was found to be 28.1 kcal/mol. The determination of the solubility curves requires special care, and the problems of the time-dependent shift of the solution composition due to the corrosion of the crucible is discussed. The scatter of the solubility data published by different authors could be due to the use of solutions with different Ba : Cu ratios, different determination methods, i.e. different crystallization mechanisms, different crucibles and starting chemicals.     

堆叠型REBCO超导股线的横向抗压特性研究

采用2mm宽REBCO超导带材，通过堆叠、圆化和拉拔等成型技术制备了多种规格的堆叠型股线，并利用试验手段研究了不同结构股线的横向抗压性能。经研究发现，超导股线在带面方向的抗压性能最好，侧面方向最差。而对比测试表明，股线带材和铜带的分布对其抗压性能影响不大，增加包壳壁厚可提高股线的抗压性能，而增大股线直径，可部分改善抗压能力，但股线扭转则会降低其抗压效果。