Effect of irradiation on the critical currents of alloy and compound superconductors

Conference · Wed Jun 01 04:00:00 EDT 1977

OSTI ID:7218842

Sekula, S. T.

The effects of energetic-particle irradiation on the critical-current density J/sub c/(H) of several superconducting compounds and Nb-Ti alloys have been examined by a number of workers. The irradiations used in the investigations include electrons, fast neutrons, ions, and fission fragments. The results of these studies are reviewed and summarized. In the alloys, changes in J/sub c/(H) on irradiation depend on the metallurgical history of the material and indicate that radiation defects modify the strength of the interaction between the fluxoid array and the sample microstructure. Radiation defects in alloys can also affect J/sub c/(H) through small decreases in T/sub c/, the transition temperature and rho, the normal-state resistivity. Irradiations of A15 compounds up to moderate fluences (dependent on the type and energy of irradiating particle) lead to decreases in T/sub c/ of approximately 1/sup 0/K and increases in J/sub c/(H) with dose for most of the samples investigated. This result can be qualitatively understood as resulting from radiation-induced changes in rho and the pinning force acting on the fluxoids. At higher dose levels, significant depressions of T/sub c/ and possibly gamma, the electronic specific heat coefficient, lead to drastic reductions in J/sub c/(H). The effect of various energetic particles and irradiation temperature on changes in J/sub c/(H) are discussed.

• Research Organization: Oak Ridge National Lab., TN (USA)
• Sponsoring Organization: US Energy Research and Development Administration (ERDA)
• DOE Contract Number: W-7405-ENG-26
• OSTI ID: 7218842
• Report Number(s): CONF-770649-2
• Country of Publication: United States
• Language: English

Related Subjects

36 MATERIALS SCIENCE
360104 -- Metals & Alloys-- Physical Properties
360106* -- Metals & Alloys-- Radiation Effects
656102 -- Solid State Physics-- Superconductivity-- Acoustic
Electronic
Magnetic
Optical
& Thermal Phenomena-- (-1987)
75 CONDENSED MATTER PHYSICS
SUPERCONDUCTIVITY AND SUPERFLUIDITY
ALLOYS
BARYONS
CHARGED PARTICLES
CRITICAL CURRENT
CURRENT DENSITY
CURRENTS
ELECTRIC CONDUCTIVITY
ELECTRIC CURRENTS
ELECTRICAL PROPERTIES
ELECTRONS
ELEMENTARY PARTICLES
FAST NEUTRONS
FERMIONS
FISSION FRAGMENTS
HADRONS
IONS
LEPTONS
MAGNETIC FLUX
NEUTRONS
NIOBIUM ALLOYS
NUCLEAR FRAGMENTS
NUCLEONS
PHYSICAL PROPERTIES
PHYSICAL RADIATION EFFECTS
RADIATION EFFECTS
SPECIFIC HEAT
SUPERCONDUCTIVITY
THERMODYNAMIC PROPERTIES
TITANIUM ALLOYS
TRANSITION TEMPERATURE