Effect of heat treatments on superconducting properties and connectivity in K-doped BaFe2As2

Tarantini, Chiara; Pak, Chongin; Su, Yi-Feng; Hellstrom, Eric E.; Larbalestier, David C.; Kametani, Fumitake

doi:10.1038/s41598-021-82325-x

Title: Effect of heat treatments on superconducting properties and connectivity in K-doped BaFe2As2

Journal Article · Thu Feb 04 00:00:00 EST 2021 · Scientific Reports

DOI:https://doi.org/10.1038/s41598-021-82325-x· OSTI ID:1833732

Tarantini, Chiara; Pak, Chongin; Su, Yi-Feng; Hellstrom, Eric E.; Larbalestier, David C.; Kametani, Fumitake

Abstract Fe-based superconductors and in particular K-doped BaFe ₂ As ₂ (K-Ba122) are materials of interest for possible future high-field applications. However the critical current density ( J _c ) in polycrystalline Ba122 is still quite low and connectivity issues are suspected to be responsible. In this work we investigated the properties of high-purity, carefully processed, K-Ba122 samples synthesized with two separate heat treatments at various temperatures between 600 and 825 °C. We performed specific heat characterization and T _c -distribution analysis up to 16 T and we compared them with magnetic T _c and J _c characterizations, and transmission-electron-microscopy (TEM) microstructures. We found no direct correlation between the magnetic T _c and J _c , whereas the specific heat T _c -distributions did provide valuable insights. In fact the best J _c -performing sample, heat treated first at 750 °C and then at 600 °C, has the peak of the T _c -distributions at the highest temperatures and the least field sensitivity, thus maximizing H _c2 . We also observed that the magnetic T _c onset was always significantly lower than the specific heat T _c : although we partially ascribe the lower magnetization T _c to the small grain size (< λ , the penetration depth) of the K-Ba122 phase, this behaviour also implies the presence of some grain-boundary barriers to current flow. Comparing the T _c -distribution with J _c , our systematic synthesis study reveals that increasing the first heat treatment above 750 °C or the second one above 600 °C significantly compromises the connectivity and suppresses the vortex pinning properties. We conclude that high-purity precursors and clean processing are not yet enough to overcome all J _c limitations. However, our study suggests that a higher temperature T _c -distribution, a larger H _c2 and a better connectivity could be achieved by lowering the second heat treatment temperature below 600 °C thus enhancing, as a consequence, J _c .

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Research Organization:: Florida State Univ., Tallahassee, FL (United States)

Sponsoring Organization:: USDOE Office of Science (SC), High Energy Physics (HEP); National Science Foundation (NSF)

Grant/Contract Number:: SC0018750; DMR-1644779

OSTI ID:: 1833732

Alternate ID(s):: OSTI ID: 1771782

Journal Information:: Scientific Reports, Journal Name: Scientific Reports Vol. 11 Journal Issue: 1; ISSN 2045-2322

Publisher:: Nature Publishing GroupCopyright Statement

Country of Publication:: United Kingdom

Language:: English

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Title: Effect of heat treatments on superconducting properties and connectivity in K-doped BaFe2As2

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