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Reducing vortex motion in YBa[sub 2]Cu[sub 3]O[sub 7] crystals with splay in columnar defects

Journal Article · · Physical Review, B: Condensed Matter; (United States)
;  [1];  [2];  [3];  [1];  [3];  [4]; ;  [1]
  1. IBM Research, Yorktown Heights, New York 10598-0218 (United States)
  2. Oak Ridge National Laboratory, Oak Ridge, Tennessee 37831-6061 (United States) Department of Physics, University of Tennessee, Knoxville, Tennessee 37996 (United States)
  3. Argonne National Laboratory, Argonne, Illinois 60439 (United States)
  4. Department of Physics, University of Tennessee, Knoxville, Tennessee 37996 (United States)

A strategy to boost the current-carrying capacity of cuprate superconductors beyond the levels attainable with parallel columnar defects was recently proposed. It consists of the enforcement of vortex entanglement by controlled splay of columns. We demonstrate the validity of this suggestion in YBa[sub 2]Cu[sub 3]O[sub 2] single crystals using the difference in splay naturally occurring in irradiations with two ions differing in mass and energy. The terminal dispersion of the columns produced by 0.58-GeV [sup 116]Sn[sup 30+] is about 10[degree], as compared with 1[degree] for 1.08-GeV [sup 197]Au[sup 23+]. At high temperatures, this large splay results in a persistent current density one order of magnitude larger and a creep rate one order of magnitude smaller.

DOE Contract Number:
AC05-84OR21400; W-31109-ENG-38
OSTI ID:
7071575
Journal Information:
Physical Review, B: Condensed Matter; (United States), Journal Name: Physical Review, B: Condensed Matter; (United States) Vol. 50:6; ISSN PRBMDO; ISSN 0163-1829
Country of Publication:
United States
Language:
English