Exploration of the superconducting properties of Y3Ba5Cu8O18 with and without Ca doping by magnetic measurements

The superconducting Y₃Ba₅Cu₈O₁₈ (Y-358) and Y₃Ba₅Ca₂Cu₈O₁₈ (YCa-358) compounds have been synthesized by using the sol–gel method. Hence, the influence of doping of Ca into the compound Y-358 has been studied by comparing the resistivities, DC magnetizations both M(H) and M(T),flux pinning properties, AC susceptibilities and critical current densities of the undoped and doped compounds, at low temperatures. The AC susceptibility and resistivity measurements showed that the superconducting transition temperature, T_c, is suppressed (about 6 K) with the addition of Ca into the main compound. The hysteresis loops of YCa-358 show peak like projecting parts at temperatures below 45 K and around zero applied field that may be due to the local modulation of the composition in YCa-358. Such a behavior has been observed for the first time. The critical current densities, J_c, determined from the hysteresis measurements decrease with the addition of Ca into Y-358. At 15 K, the maximum values of J_c, for the compounds Y-358 and YCa-358 are found to be 8 × 10⁴ A/cm² and 4.5 × 10⁴ A/cm², respectively. The flux pinning force, F_p, calculated from the field dependence of the J_c values shows that the irreversibility line shifts to lower magnetic fields with the doping of Ca into Y-358. Furthermore, the measurements of the inphase and out off components of the ACsusceptibilities clearly demonstrate that the superconducting volume fraction of Y-358 decreases with the addition of Ca.