High critical current density and enhanced irreversibility field in superconducting MgB2 thin films

The discovery of superconductivity at 39 K in magnesium diboride offers the possibility of a new class of low-cost, high-performance superconducting materials for magnets and electronic applications. This compound has twice the transition temperature of Nb3Sn and four times that of Nb-Ti alloy, and the vital prerequisite of strongly linked current flow has already been demonstrated. One possible drawback, however, is that the magnetic field at which superconductivity is destroyed is modest. Furthermore, the field which limits the range of practical applications-the irreversibility field H*(T)-is approximately 7 T at liquid helium temperature (4.2 K), significantly lower than about 10 T for Nb-Ti (ref. 6) and approximately 20 T for Nb3Sn (ref. 7). Here we show that MgB2 thin films that are alloyed with oxygen can exhibit a much steeper temperature dependence of H*(T) than is observed in bulk materials, yielding an H* value at 4.2 K greater than 14 T. In addition, very high critical current densities at 4.2 K are achieved: 1 MA cm-2 at 1 T and 105 A cm-2 at 10 T. These results demonstrate that MgB2 has potential for high-field superconducting applications.     

High critical currents in iron-clad superconducting MgB2 wires

Technically useful bulk superconductors must have high transport critical current densities, Jc, at operating temperatures. They also require a normal metal cladding to provide parallel electrical conduction, thermal stabilization, and mechanical protection of the generally brittle superconductor cores. The recent discovery of superconductivity at 39 K in magnesium diboride (MgB2) presents a new possibility for significant bulk applications, but many critical issues relevant for practical wires remain unresolved. In particular, MgB2 is mechanically hard and brittle and therefore not amenable to drawing into the desired fine-wire geometry. Even the synthesis of moderately dense, bulk MgB2 attaining 39 K superconductivity is a challenge because of the volatility and reactivity of magnesium. Here we report the successful fabrication of dense, metal-clad superconducting MgB2 wires, and demonstrate a transport Jc in excess of 85,000 A cm-2 at 4.2 K. Our iron-clad fabrication technique takes place at ambient pressure, yet produces dense MgB2 with little loss of stoichiometry. While searching for a suitable cladding material, we found that other materials dramatically reduced the critical current, showing that although MgB2 itself does not show the 'weak-link' effect characteristic of the high-Tc superconductors, contamination does result in weak-link-like behaviour.     

High critical current density in powder-in-tube processed MgB2/Ta/Cu wire

The magnetization of dense MgB2/Ta/Cu wires prepared by the powder-in-tube method is measured by a SQUID magnetometer. The results indicate that the critical temperature of MgB2/Ta/Cu is around 38.4 K with a sharp transition width of 0.6 K. The MgB2/Ta/Cu wire shows a strong flux pinning and the critical current density is higher than 105 A/cm2 (5 K, self-field) and 104 A/cm2 (20 K, 1 T). Also, the irreversibility field of the sample reaches 6.6 T at 5 K.     

High critical current density in powder-in-tube processed MgB2/Ta/Cu wire

The magnetization of dense MgB₂/Ta/Cu wires prepared by the powder-in-tube method is measured by a SQUID magnetometer. The results indicate that the critical temperature of MgB₂/Ta/Cu is around 38.4 K with a sharp transition width of 0.6 K. The MgB₂/Ta/Cu wire shows a strong flux pinning and the critical current density is higher than 10⁵ A/cm² (5 K, self-field) and 10⁴ A/cm² (20 K, 1 T). Also, the irreversibility field of the sample reaches 6.6 T at 5 K.     

Fabrication of MgB_2 superconducting films by different methods

MgB2 superconducting films have been successfully fabricated on single crystal MgO(111) and c-AL2O3 substrates by different methods. The film deposited by pulsed laser deposition is c-axis oriented with zero resistance transition temperature of 38.4 K, while the other two films fabricated by chemical vapor deposition and electrophoresis are c-axis textured with the zero resistance transition temperature of 38 K and 39 K, respectively. Magnetization hysteresis measurements yield critical current density Jc of 107 A/cm2 at 15 K in zero field for the thin film and of 105 A/cm2 for the thick film. For the thin film deposited by chemical vapor deposition, the microwave surface resistance at 10 K is found to be as low as 100μΩ, which is comparable with that of a high-quality high-temperature superconducting thin film of YBCO.     

超高载流能力的干净极限MgB2薄膜与超高上临界场的碳掺杂MgB2薄膜

本本文报道了基于混合物理化学气相沉积方法制备高质量干净极限MgB2薄膜和碳掺杂MgB2薄膜的最新结果.c轴外延干净的MgB2薄膜具有高达41.4K的超导转变温度,低于0.3μΩcm的正常态剩余电阻率.样品处于干净极限.薄膜表面RMS粗糙度小于5nm,在150nm宽的纳桥上测量到了大于1×108A/cm2的临界电流密度,接近MgB2,材料理论上的拆对电流密度,同样的结果也从对相同样品的磁性测量中推导得到.利用甲烷作为碳源,基于改进的热丝辅助混合物理化学气相沉积装置,高性能碳掺杂MgB2薄膜得以成功实现.不同程度的碳掺杂调制了MgB2双能带的带内和带间散射,进而明显增强了薄膜的上临界场.在重碳掺杂MgB2薄膜样品中,平行于样品表面的上临界场分量,Hc2//ab在临界温度(27K)附近对温度的斜率,-dHc2//ab/dT达到了3 T/K,暗示了样品具有非常高的上临界场Hc2//ab(0).碳掺杂同时使得样品的磁通钉扎能力得到很大增强.高场下具有比干净样品高出数个量级的临界电流密度,和更高的不可逆场.     

The origin of multiple superconducting gaps in MgB2

Magnesium diboride, MgB2, has the highest transition temperature (T(c) = 39 K) of the known metallic superconductors. Whether the anomalously high T(c) can be described within the conventional BCS (Bardeen-Cooper-Schrieffer) framework has been debated. The key to understanding superconductivity lies with the 'superconducting energy gap' associated with the formation of the superconducting pairs. Recently, the existence of two kinds of superconducting gaps in MgB2 has been suggested by several experiments; this is in contrast to both conventional and high-T(c) superconductors. A clear demonstration of two gaps has not yet been made because the previous experiments lacked the ability to resolve the momentum of the superconducting electrons. Here we report direct experimental evidence for the two-band superconductivity in MgB2, by separately observing the superconducting gaps of the sigma and pi bands (as well as a surface band). The gaps have distinctly different sizes, which unambiguously establishes MgB2 as a two-gap superconductor.     

The origin of the anomalous superconducting properties of MgB(2)

Magnesium diboride differs from ordinary metallic superconductors in several important ways, including the failure of conventional models to predict accurately its unusually high transition temperature, the effects of isotope substitution on the critical transition temperature, and its anomalous specific heat. A detailed examination of the energy associated with the formation of charge-carrying pairs, referred to as the 'superconducting energy gap', should clarify why MgB(2) is different. Some early experimental studies have indicated that MgB(2) has multiple gaps, but past theoretical studies have not explained from first principles the origin of these gaps and their effects. Here we report an ab initio calculation of the superconducting gaps in MgB(2) and their effects on measurable quantities. An important feature is that the electronic states dominated by orbitals in the boron plane couple strongly to specific phonon modes, making pair formation favourable. This explains the high transition temperature, the anomalous structure in the specific heat, and the existence of multiple gaps in this material. Our analysis suggests comparable or higher transition temperatures may result in layered materials based on B, C and N with partially filled planar orbitals.     

Vortex dynamics in superconducting MgB2 and prospects for applications

The recently discovered superconductor magnesium diboride, MgB2, has a transition temperature, Tc, approaching 40 K, placing it intermediate between the families of low- and high-temperature superconductors. In practical applications, superconductors are permeated by quantized vortices of magnetic flux. When a supercurrent flows, there is dissipation of energy unless these vortices are 'pinned' in some way, and so inhibited from moving under the influence of the Lorentz force. Such vortex motion ultimately determines the critical current density, Jc, which the superconductor can support. Vortex behaviour has proved to be more complicated in high-temperature superconductors than in low-temperature superconductors and, although this has stimulated extensive theoretical and experimental research, it has also impeded applications. Here we describe the vortex behaviour in MgB2, as reflected in Jc and in the vortex creep rate, S, the latter being a measure of how fast the 'persistent' supercurrents decay. Our results show that naturally occurring grain boundaries are highly transparent to supercurrents, a desirable property which contrasts with the behaviour of the high-temperature superconductors. On the other hand, we observe a steep, practically deleterious decline in Jc with increasing magnetic field, which is likely to reflect the high degree of crystalline perfection in our samples, and hence a low vortex pinning energy.     

Strongly linked current flow in polycrystalline forms of the superconductor MgB2

The discovery of superconductivity at 39 K in magnesium diboride, MgB2, raises many issues, a critical one being whether this material resembles a high-temperature copper oxide superconductor or a low-temperature metallic superconductor in terms of its behaviour in strong magnetic fields. Although the copper oxides exhibit very high transition temperatures, their in-field performance is compromized by their large anisotropy, the result of which is to restrict high bulk current densities to a region much less than the full magnetic-field-temperature (H-T) space over which superconductivity is found. Moreover, the weak coupling across grain boundaries makes transport current densities in untextured polycrystalline samples low and strongly sensitive to magnetic field. Here we report that, despite the multiphase, untextured, microscale, subdivided nature of our MgB2 samples, supercurrents flow throughout the material without exhibiting strong sensitivity to weak magnetic fields. Our combined magnetization, magneto-optical, microscopy and X-ray investigations show that the supercurrent density is mostly determined by flux pinning, rather than by the grain boundary connectivity. Our results therefore suggest that this new superconductor class is not compromized by weak-link problems, a conclusion of significance for practical applications if higher temperature analogues of this compound can be discovered.     

高能重离子辐照对氧化物高温超导体的临界电流密度？…

运用层状高温超导体的临界电流密度理论模型,对１８０ＭｅＶ的Ｃｕ＾１１＋辐照高温超导体Ｙ－１２３和Ｂｉ－２２１２的临界电流密度的影响做了分析,并对试验结果进行了拟合。拟合结果与试验结果符合得较好,这表明辐照产生的柱状缺陷作为主要的钉扎中心,具有较高的钉扎能,且柱状缺陷在直径上与磁通涡旋有相近的尺寸。     

MgB2制备过程中退火效应和热稳定性的实验研究

报道了关于 MgB₂ 超导体制备过程中的退火效应和热稳定性的实验研究。把硼片在不同的温度 Mg 气氛中退火不同时间得到 MgB₂,制备样品的测量结果显示制备 MgB₂ 的合适温度范围是 700～1000℃,并且较高的制备温度下只需要相对短的退火时间内就能得到较高转变温度的样品。热稳定性实验的结果显示在没有 Mg 的气氛中 MgB₂ 在 700℃ 下是稳定的,从 800℃ 开始分解,直到完全失去超导电性。实验还观测到利用 MgB₂ 混合物薄膜前驱代替硼片制备 MgB₂ 时,在 600℃ 退火时样品就显示超导电性。     

自蔓延高温合成MgB2粉末

利用自蔓延高温合成法成功制备了MgB2粉末.通过热力学计算、X射线衍射图谱分析了各相生成的先后顺序及转化关系,探讨了合成反应产物中的相组成、MgB2的分解温度等.结果表明,自蔓延高温合成法能制备无MgB4等杂质相的单相MgB2,且晶粒细小易于分解.     

超导磁体电流引线的优化研究

本文提出了一种在不同条件下计算超导磁体电流引线漏热、最高温度与过载电流之间关系等一系列问题的方法,同时给出了制作电流引线的选材原则。     

超导磁体电流引线的优化研究

本文提出了一种在不同条件下计算超导磁体电流引线漏热、最高温度与过载电流之间关系等一系列问题的方法,同时给出了制作电流引线的选材原则.     

超导磁体电流引线的优化研究

本文提出了一种在不同条件下计算超导磁体电流引线漏热、最高温度与过载电流之间关系等一系列问题的方法,同时给出了制作电流引线的选材原则.     

Supercondcuting properties in MgB2／Fe wires prepared by PIT method

The discovery of superconductivity at 39 K in MgB2has attracted a lot of interest in the world[15]. Recently, many results on the magnetic and transport properties of bulks have been reported. And high critical currentdensities (Jc) in polycrystalline MgB2 materials indicate that Jc is not limited by the weak link of grain boundaries as high temperature superconductor (HTS), suggestingthat MgB2 has a good potential for electrical engineering applications[2,48]. The fabrication of high qua…     

The complex nature of superconductivity in MgB2 as revealed by the reduced total isotope effect

Magnesium diboride, MgB2, was recently observed to become superconducting at 39 K, which is the highest known transition temperature for a non-copper-oxide bulk material. Isotope-effect measurements, in which atoms are substituted by isotopes of different mass to systematically change the phonon frequencies, are one of the fundamental tests of the nature of the superconducting mechanism in a material. In a conventional Bardeen-Cooper-Schrieffer (BCS) superconductor, where the mechanism is mediated by electron-phonon coupling, the total isotope-effect coefficient (in this case, the sum of both the Mg and B coefficients) should be about 0.5. The boron isotope effect was previously shown to be large and that was sufficient to establish that MgB2 is a conventional superconductor, but the Mg effect has not hitherto been measured. Here we report the determination of the Mg isotope effect, which is small but measurable. The total reduced isotope-effect coefficient is 0.32, which is much lower than the value expected for a typical BCS superconductor. The low value could be due to complex materials properties, and would seem to require both a large electron-phonon coupling constant and a value of mu* (the repulsive electron-electron interaction) larger than found for most simple metals.