The effect of electron irradiation on YBa sub 2 Cu sub 3 O sub x with gold bead contacts

Journal Article · Fri Jun 15 04:00:00 EDT 1990 · Journal of Applied Physics; (USA)

DOI:https://doi.org/10.1063/1.345833· OSTI ID:6817908

Caton, R; Selim, R; Buoncristiani, A M ^[1]; Byvik, C E ^[2]

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1. Christopher Newport College, Newport News, Virginia 23606 (USA)
2. W. J. Schaefer Associates, Inc., Arlington, VA (USA)

We have investigated the effect of 1-MeV electron irradiation up to a total dose of 5.7{times}10{sup 17} electrons/cm{sup 2} at room temperature on YBa{sub 2}Cu{sub 3}O{sub {ital x}} with gold bead contacts made by the melting technique. We measured the superconducting transition temperature {ital T}{sub {ital c}}, the critical current density {ital J}{sub {ital c}} at 77 K, the normal-state resistivity, and the contact resistance for gold bead contacts as a function of fluence on the same samples without disturbing the contacts. {ital T}{sub {ital c}} remained constant at 91 K, and {ital J}{sub {ital c}} at 77 K remained constant around 90 A/cm{sup 2}. The normal-state resistivity increased systematically by about 15% for the total dose. Finally, the surface contact resistance at 77 K remained less than 4.2 {mu}{Omega} cm{sup 2} throughout the radiations. These studies took place over an 8-month period, and subsequent measurements indicate that the results are definitely due to radiation effects and not aging effects. Since the total dose represents 120 years of electron exposure in geosynchronous orbit, we conclude that the superconductor YBa{sub 2}Cu{sub 3}O{sub {ital x}} with gold bead contacts would perform well in a space environment of electron irradiation.

• OSTI ID: 6817908
• Journal Information: Journal of Applied Physics; (USA), Journal Name: Journal of Applied Physics; (USA) Vol. 67:12; ISSN 0021-8979; ISSN JAPIA
• Country of Publication: United States
• Language: English

Related Subjects

36 MATERIALS SCIENCE
360204 -- Ceramics
Cermets
& Refractories-- Physical Properties
360206* -- Ceramics
Cermets
& Refractories-- Radiation Effects
656100 -- Condensed Matter Physics-- Superconductivity
75 CONDENSED MATTER PHYSICS
SUPERCONDUCTIVITY AND SUPERFLUIDITY
ALKALINE EARTH METAL COMPOUNDS
BARIUM COMPOUNDS
BARIUM OXIDES
CHALCOGENIDES
COLLISIONS
COPPER COMPOUNDS
COPPER OXIDES
CRITICAL CURRENT
CURRENTS
ELECTRIC CONDUCTIVITY
ELECTRIC CONTACTS
ELECTRIC CURRENTS
ELECTRICAL EQUIPMENT
ELECTRICAL PROPERTIES
ELECTRON COLLISIONS
ELEMENTS
ENERGY RANGE
EQUIPMENT
GOLD
HIGH-TC SUPERCONDUCTORS
MEDIUM TEMPERATURE
METALS
MEV RANGE
MEV RANGE 01-10
OXIDES
OXYGEN COMPOUNDS
PHYSICAL PROPERTIES
PHYSICAL RADIATION EFFECTS
RADIATION EFFECTS
SUPERCONDUCTORS
THERMODYNAMIC PROPERTIES
TRANSITION ELEMENT COMPOUNDS
TRANSITION ELEMENTS
TRANSITION TEMPERATURE
YTTRIUM COMPOUNDS
YTTRIUM OXIDES