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Title: A route for a strong increase of critical current in nanostrained iron-based superconductors

Journal Article · · Nature Communications
DOI:https://doi.org/10.1038/ncomms13036· OSTI ID:1341612
 [1];  [2];  [2];  [2];  [3];  [2];  [2];  [2]
  1. Brookhaven National Lab. (BNL), Upton, NY (United States); Kwansei Gakuin Univ. (Japan)
  2. Brookhaven National Lab. (BNL), Upton, NY (United States)
  3. Florida State Univ., Tallahassee, FL (United States). National High Magnetic Field Lab. (MagLab)

The critical temperature Tc and the critical current density Jc determine the limits to large-scale superconductor applications. Superconductivity emerges at Tc. The practical current-carrying capability, measured by Jc, is the ability of defects in superconductors to pin the magnetic vortices, and that may reduce Tc. Simultaneous increase of Tc and Jc in superconductors is desirable but very difficult to realize. Here we demonstrate a route to raise both Tc and Jc together in iron-based superconductors. By using low-energy proton irradiation, we create cascade defects in FeSe0.5Te0.5 films. Tc is enhanced due to the nanoscale compressive strain and proximity effect, whereas Jc is doubled under zero field at 4.2 K through strong vortex pinning by the cascade defects and surrounding nanoscale strain. At 12 K and above 15 T, one order of magnitude of Jc enhancement is achieved in both parallel and perpendicular magnetic fields to the film surface.

Research Organization:
Brookhaven National Laboratory (BNL), Upton, NY (United States)
Sponsoring Organization:
USDOE Office of Science (SC), Basic Energy Sciences (BES)
Grant/Contract Number:
SC00112704
OSTI ID:
1341612
Report Number(s):
BNL-113335-2016-JA; R&D Project: MA012MABA; MA015MACA; KC0202050; KC0201010
Journal Information:
Nature Communications, Vol. 7; ISSN 2041-1723
Publisher:
Nature Publishing GroupCopyright Statement
Country of Publication:
United States
Language:
English
Citation Metrics:
Cited by: 55 works
Citation information provided by
Web of Science

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Cited By (15)

Optimization of sintering parameters for fabrication of Ag-sheathed FeSe superconducting wires journal March 2018
Artificially engineered nanostrain in FeSexTe1-x superconductor thin films for supercurrent enhancement journal January 2020
Fe-based superconducting thin films on metallic substrates: Growth, characteristics, and relevant properties journal September 2018
Strong pinning in the hole-doped pnictide superconductor La 0.34 Na 0.66 Fe 2 As 2 journal March 2019
Disorder raises the critical temperature of a cuprate superconductor journal May 2019
Radiation effects on iron-based superconductors journal December 2017
Enhanced critical current in superconducting FeSe 0.5 Te 0.5 films at all magnetic field orientations by scalable gold ion irradiation journal January 2018
Effect of α -particle irradiation on a NdFeAs(O,F) thin film journal February 2018
Effects of high-energy proton irradiation on the superconducting properties of Fe(Se,Te) thin films journal March 2018
Recent progress in thin-film growth of Fe-based superconductors: superior superconductivity achieved by thin films journal July 2018
Fe-based superconducting thin films—preparation and tuning of superconducting properties journal August 2019
Giant enhancement of critical current density at high field in superconducting (Li,Fe)OHFeSe films by Mn doping journal October 2019
Effects of high energy proton irradiation on the superconducting properties of Fe(Se,Te) thin films text January 2017
Disorder raises the critical temperature of a cuprate superconductor text January 2018
Strong pinning in the hole-doped pnictide superconductor La$_{0.34}$Na$_{0.66}$Fe$_2$As$_2$ text January 2019