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The effect of the neutron irradiation on the critical current and the microstructure of the melt-textured growth YBa sub 2 Cu sub 3 O sub y

Journal Article · · Modern Physics Letters B; (Singapore)
OSTI ID:7048117
; ;  [1]; ; ; ; ;  [2]
  1. Dept. of Superconductivity, General Research Inst. for Non-ferrous Metals, Beijing 100088 (CN)
  2. Dept. of Analysis and Testing, General Research Inst. for Non-ferrous Metals, Beijing 100088 (CN)

This paper reports on the effect of the fast neutron irradiation on the critical current properties and the microstructure of Melt-Textured Growth (MTG) YBa{sub 2}Cu{sub 3}O{sub 7{minus}8} with fluences of 2.3 {times} 10{sup 16} n/cm{sup 2}, 1.16 {times} 10{sup 17} n/cm{sup 2}, and 5.8 {times} 10{sup 17} n/cm{sup 2} respectively. The hysteresis loops have been measured at 77 K and 1.5 K in the applied magnetic fields between {minus}6 T and 6 T. The irreversibility lines H(T*) were also demonstrated. The critical magnetization current density J{sub c} is up to 4.7 {times} 10{sup 5} A/cm{sup 2} at 77 K in the field of 0.1 T for the irradiated sample with the fluence of 1.16 {times} 10{sup 17} n/cm{sup 2}. It is tenfold higher than that of the unirradiated sample. This increase of J{sub c} is due to the pinning at irradiation-induced pinning centers. Much higher neutron irradiation with fluence of 5.8 {times} 10{sup 17} n/cm{sup 2} is harmful to the increase of J{sub c} value because the orthorhombic structure has been transformed into the tetragonal one. The amorphous state and the cellular structures are also observed in the irradiated MTG sample.

OSTI ID:
7048117
Journal Information:
Modern Physics Letters B; (Singapore), Journal Name: Modern Physics Letters B; (Singapore) Vol. 5:18; ISSN 0217-9849; ISSN MPLBE
Country of Publication:
United States
Language:
English