Characterization of high-temperature superconductors by electron microprobe analysis

In order to optimize the physical properties of HTSC small single crystals grown from a melt for basic studies of their physical properties the influence of the environment on their impurity content was investigated by EPMA. This requires quantitative analysis of all elements being present in the crystals. The accuracy of results was affected by problems with the choice and quality of standards, by contamination but also by malfunction of microprobe electronics. The HTSC materials were found to react with mills, milling balls, crucibles and the atmosphere. These problems are being discussed and some reactions being studied for Y₁Ba₂Cu₃O_6+x (0 < x < 1) HTSC in A1₂O₃ and ZrO₂ crucibles. The crystals grown contain reproducible amounts of impurities depending on boundary conditions and exhibit a zone structure in composition particularly for Y and Ba within their range of homogeneity.