Organic conductor/high-{Tc} superconductor bilayer structures

Conference · Tue Dec 31 04:00:00 EST 1996

OSTI ID:548497

Clevenger, M B; Jones, C E; Haupt, S G; Zhao, J; McDevitt, J T ^[1]

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1. Univ. of Texas, Austin, TX (United States). Dept. of Chemistry and Biochemistry

Electrochemical techniques are exploited to fabricate conducive polymer/high-{Tc} superconductor bilayer structures. Scanning electron microscopy and electrochemical techniques are utilized to characterize the electrodeposition of polypyrrole layers grown onto YBa{sub 2}Cu{sub 3}O{sub 7{minus}{delta}} films. In such hybrid polymer/superconductor systems, it is found that when the polymer is oxidized to its conductive state, the transition temperature ({Tc}) and critical currents (J{sub c}) of the underlying superconductor films are suppressed. Reversible modulation of the values of the transition temperatures of up to 50 K are noted for these structures. Upon reduction of the conductive polymer layer back to its non-conductive form, both {Tc} and J{sub c} are found to return to values close to those acquired for the underivatized YBa{sub 2}Cu{sub 3}O{sub 7{minus}{delta}} films. Moreover, measurements as a function of temperature of the polymer/superconductor interface resistance show dramatic decrease in this value at {Tc}. Also, estimates of superconducting coherence lengths within the organic conductor samples suggest superconducting properties over macroscopically large distances within the organic materials can be expected. Collectively these results are consistent with the first observation of a conductive polymer proximity effect.

• Sponsoring Organization: National Science Foundation, Washington, DC (United States); Welch (Robert A.) Foundation, Houston, TX (United States)
• OSTI ID: 548497
• Report Number(s): CONF-960163--; ISBN 0-8194-2071-9
• Country of Publication: United States
• Language: English

Related Subjects

36 MATERIALS SCIENCE
66 PHYSICS
BARIUM OXIDES
COPPER OXIDES
FABRICATION
HIGH-TC SUPERCONDUCTORS
POLYMERS
PROXIMITY EFFECT
SUPERCONDUCTING COMPOSITES
SUPERCONDUCTIVITY
TEMPERATURE DEPENDENCE
YTTRIUM OXIDES