National Institute Of Materials Physics - Romania

Application of active technology factors (for example, the introduction of Bi2Sr2Ca2CU3Oy, (2223) phase additive) and corresponding optimization of synthesis parameters of Bi(Pb)-Sr-Ca-Cu-O (BSCCO) ceramics have allowed reducing the time of oxide precursor sintering from 250 to 25 h. Conditions of positive influence of 2223 phase additives have been investigated. Intensification of BSCCO ceramics synthesis was the basic purpose, but the authors have deliberately conducted broader examinations of the influence of technological parameters on the properties and structure of this material. The complex of the obtained effects (similarly to the solution of an equation set with several unknowns) helps increasing the probability of exact comprehension of the system: technology-processes occurring under ceramics synthesis-phase composition and structure-properties of BSCCO. (C) 2002 Elsevier Science B.V. All rights reserved.

TlBa(2)Ca(2)Cu(3)O(y) (Tl-1223) superconducting films were prepared under identical conditions, on MgO substrates with different morphologies resulting from heat treatments at temperatures between 600 and 1350 degreesC. The superconducting films have almost the same morphology, in-plane alignment and composition, but different critical current densities J(c). Critical current density J(c) determined at 77.3 K differs for films with various annealed MgO substrates, by a factor of 5 in zero field and 10 in 1 T. The behavior of J(c) is discussed in relation with the flatness of the MgO surface, and with pinning effects induced by the Ca-segregates. For the present work, the best films were obtained for the un-annealed (as-received) substrates and for substrates treated at 1350 degreesC. In these samples, the substrate's flatness and morphology with regular steps are essential for high quality of the superconducting films. In the films grown on MgO annealed between 800 and 1200 degreesC and showing rough surface and Ca-segregates, J(c) was lower. However, J(c) was increasing with heat treatment temperature of the substrate, possibly due to the Ca-segregates inducing or acting as pinning centers. The effects of Ca-segregates are of interest for maximization of the quality of the high-temperature superconducting films. In the literature, up to now, these effects have not been considered and therefore Ca-segregates removal has been recommended. (C) 2002 Elsevier Science B.V. All rights reserved.

TlBa2Ca2Cu3Oy (Tl-1223) superconducting films were prepared under identical conditions, on MgO substrates with different morphologies resulting from heat treatments at temperatures between 600 and 1350 degreesC. The superconducting films have almost the same morphology, in-plane alignment and composition, but different critical current densities J(c). Critical current density J(c) determined at 77.3 K differs for films with various annealed MgO substrates, by a factor of 5 in zero field and 10 in 1 T. The behavior of J(c) is discussed in relation with the flatness of the MgO surface, and with pinning effects induced by the Ca-segregates. For the present work, the best films were obtained for the un-annealed (as-received) substrates and for substrates treated at 1350 degreesC. In these samples, the substrate's flatness and morphology with regular steps are essential for high quality of the superconducting films. In the films grown on MgO annealed between 800 and 1200 degreesC and showing rough surface and Ca-segregates, J(c) was lower. However, J(c) was increasing with heat treatment temperature of the substrate, possibly due to the Ca-segregates inducing or acting as pinning centers. The effects of Ca-segregates are of interest for maximization of the quality of the high-temperature superconducting films. In the literature, up to now, these effects have not been considered and therefore Ca-segregates removal has been recommended. (C) 2002 Elsevier Science B.V. All rights reserved.

Thin films of the infinite-layer compound Sr0.6Ca0.4CuO2-delta have been prepared by off-axis rf magnetron sputtering on SrTiO3 (001). For an opt mum level of oxygen vacancy superconductivity was observed (T-c onset = 42 K and T-c(rho=0) = 11 K). Structural and transport data suggesting n-type superconductivity are presented and discussed. Infinite-layer thin films of Sr0.5Ca0.4CuO2-delta, without trivalent cation doping and showing n-type superconductivity, are reported for the first time.

The crystallization of amorphous SmxFe80-xB20 melt spun ribbons is studied over an extended range of composition (0 < x < 8). Differential scanning calorimetry scans reveal different endo- and exothermic effects depending upon the composition. X-ray diffraction and Mossbauer studies for samples annealed at temperatures close to the onset of the first exothermic effect prove that, during the primary crystallization of the amorphous ribbons, both alpha-Fe and Fe3B phases appear-with Sm ions randomly accommodating the Fe sites in the tetragonal Fe3B lattice-while the subsequent exothermic reactions correspond to the decomposition of the metastable Fe3B phase into alpha-Fe and Fe2B and to the formation of the ternary Sm1.1Fe4B4 phase. Fully crystallized ribbons with Sm contents lower than about 7 at.% show the co-existence between alpha-Fe and Fe2B soft magnetic phases and the Sm2Fe14B magnetic one. The enhancement of magnetic properties with increasing relative proportion of magnetic phase is discussed and correlated with exchange coupling and spin wave stiffness data obtained from the magnetic measurements.

A practical approach for in-plane angular spin distributions in layered systems, as obtained by Mossbauer spectroscopy, is discussed. The line intensity ratio R-23 of a Mossbauer pattern is expressed versus particular distribution parameters in unidirectional, step-shaped and ellipse-type models. The distribution parameters are deduced from experimental spectra taken by rotating the sample in its own plane. Three-dimensional spin distributions with small out-of-plane components can be analysed using the same method. The procedure is exemplified on four samples containing metallic nano-particles. The in-plane angular magnetic moment distributions derived with this method are compared with the results from bulk vector vibrating sample magnetometry in order to prove the accuracy of the described technique. (C) 2002 Elsevier Science B.V. All rights reserved.

We report the growth of TlBa2Ca2Cu3Oy superconducting thin film on CeO2 buffered r-cut sapphire substrate by amorphous phase epitaxy method, wherein an amorphous phase of a composition, TlBa2Ca3Cu4Oy was deposited by rf magnetron sputtering and subsequently crystallized by annealing at high temperatures in a closed system. There exists an optimum thickness of about 200 Angstrom of CeO2 buffer layer that gives a smooth buffer layer surface. At the temperature around 840 degreesC we get only Tl-2212 phase and for a longer annealing time it results in Tl-1212 phase. At higher temperatures Ba reacts with Ce to form BaCeO3. To avoid this reaction process we introduced another amorphous buffer layer, TlSr2CaCu2Oy onto CeO2 layer. By this method we could prepare a good quality TI-1223 thin film which showed a T-c of 104 K and a J(c) = 0.3 MA/cm(2) at 77 K and 0.1 T field. (C) 2002 Elsevier Science B.V. All rights reserved.

A 50 mum thick slice of (Cu,C)Ba2Ca3Cu4Oy (CU:1234) bulk superconductor grown by high-pressure synthesis technique was irradiated with high-energy (240 MeV) Au15+ ions (10(11) cm(-2)). Complimentary DC magnetization measurements up to 5 T showed an increase in critical current density by two orders of magnitude. AC susceptibility studies were performed in DC magnetic fields up to 14 T and at various temperatures, using various AC field amplitudes (up to 15 Oe) and frequencies (up to 10 kHz). Critical current densities at various temperatures and fields were estimated from critical state model. Using the third harmonic response of the sample we were able to separate different contributions to the dissipation: inter-grain regions, grains without columnar defects (heavy-ions penetration depth is about one quarter of sample's thickness), and grains with columnar defects. In irradiated grains, we could observe a peak-effect in the field dependence of critical current density at high DC fields and temperatures between 85 and 105 K, suggesting the possibility of the highest irreversibility field at liquid nitrogen temperature. (C) 2002 Elsevier Science B.V. All rights reserved.

Superconducting samples have been synthesized from starting compositions CU0.5TlxBa2Ca3Cu4O12+y, x(Tl) = 0.35-1 in the sealed Au-tubes. Starting oxygen content was y = 0 and/or y = +/-0.225. Samples contain non-superconducting phases and only one main superconducting phase, 1234. The energy dispersive spectroscopy grain composition was Tl0.87-1.3Ba1.9-2.05Ca2.55-3.1Cu4Ox (normalized to Cu = 4). The starting Tl and oxygen content do not influence the occurrence of the phases, grain size, morphology and composition. On the other hand the phase content strongly depends on Tl content and almost does not depend on oxygen content. Both Tl and oxygen content are important for the transport properties of the superconducting grains and it seems that also of the non-superconducting matrix. T-c of the samples was in the range 119.1-111.3 K. (C) 2002 Elsevier Science B.V. All rights reserved.

Thin films of Cum-1Bam(Sr,Ca)(n)Cun+1O2m+2n+1, i.e., [BaCuO2](m)/[(Sr,Ca)CuO2](n) superlattices have been grown by layer-by-layer growth method with rf magnetron sputtering on NdGaO3(1 1 0) substrate. Two targets with the compositions BaCuO2 and (Sr,Ca)CuO2, which form the charge reservoir and superconducting layers, respectively, were used. [BaCuO2](m)/[(Sr,Ca)CuO2](n) superlattice was grown at 460-520 degreesC in a gas mixture of Ar and N2O by alternatively depositing the charge reservoir layer and superconducting layer. The superlattice modulation is close to that of high pressure synthesized bulk materials. By means of the layer-by-layer growth method, a system of Cu-based artificial lattice structures is formed. Electrical transport properties of these superlattices were also investigated. (C) 2002 Elsevier Science B.V. All rights reserved.