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Studies of the superconducting behavior of polycrystalline yttrium barium(2) copper(3) oxygen(7-delta)

William Michael Tiernan, University of Massachusetts Amherst

Abstract

The results of electrical transport and AC susceptibility measurements performed with the goal of studying the superconducting and normal state electrical properties of polycrystalline samples of $\rm YBa\sb2Cu\sb3O\sb{7-\delta}$ and $\rm Ag/YBa\sb2Cu\sb3O\sb{7-\delta}$ are reported. I-V characteristics and AC susceptibility for $\approx$2 mm diameter sintered polycrystalline $\rm YBa\sb2Cu\sb3O\sb{7-\delta}$ pellets are studied at selected magnetic fields $0.1\le H\le 80.9$ G and for $80\le T\le 92$ K. Temperature dependent changes in I-V isotherms near the superconducting transition are consistent with predictions of critical scaling associated with a superconducting phase transition. AC susceptibility measurements reveal a variety of interesting phenomena, and in particular provide evidence that these materials are gauge glass granular superconductors. Magnetic field and temperature dependent changes in the I-V characteristics of $\approx$15 $\mu$m diameter $\rm Ag/YBa\sb2Cu\sb3O\sb{7-\delta}$ fibers are studied for $4\le T\le 86$ K, for $0.5\le H\le 9000$ G, and for $1\le J\le 10\sp4$ A/cm$\sp2.$ These measurements reveal a variety of quite different regions of superconducting behavior that are all consistent with a system of weakly coupled superconducting grains.

Subject Area

Condensed matter physics

Recommended Citation

Tiernan, William Michael, "Studies of the superconducting behavior of polycrystalline yttrium barium(2) copper(3) oxygen(7-delta)" (1992). Doctoral Dissertations Available from Proquest. AAI9305910.
https://scholarworks.umass.edu/dissertations/AAI9305910

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