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U.S. Department of Energy
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Bulk-wave characterization of high-T sub c superconductors. Final report, 1 Apr 88-31 Dec 90

Technical Report ·
OSTI ID:5480894

The objective of this research project were to characterize high Tc superconductors and heavy Fermion superconductors with longitudinal and transverse ultrasonic waves and with surface acoustic waves. Sound attenuation measurements in sintered and sinter forged Y1Ba2Cu3O7 exhibited three maxima which appear to be produced by relaxation processes with activation energies in the range of 450 K, 1100 K, and 650 K. The high activation energy is associated with the middle attenuation maximum which appears to be isotropic and is the only one present in another 123 isomorph Er1Ba2Cu3O7. This is the energy of the virtual excitations proposed in some theoretical models that is required for the appearance of high Tc superconductivity. Sound measurements in a Tl based superconducting compound exhibited a frequency independent maximum at the superconducting transition. This appears to be the first attenuation effect that is directly produced by the superconducting transition itself. Such a peak has also been observed in Y1Ba2Cu3O7 after careful analysis of the data. These may be produced by interactions with superconducting fluctuations, enhanced by the two dimensional nature of the systems.

Research Organization:
Wisconsin Univ., Milwaukee, WI (United States). Dept. of Physics
OSTI ID:
5480894
Report Number(s):
AD-A-234649/2/XAB
Country of Publication:
United States
Language:
English