Materials Science Forum, Vol.426-4, 3523-3528, 2003
Synthesis and processing of high temperature Hg-based superconductors, from bulk to thin films
In this work we report the study of the synthesis parameters for preparation of ceramic, tapes and thin films of some superconducting phases of the families (Hg,Re)Ba2Can-1CunOy with n=2, 3. The synthesis and simultaneous densification of Hg(Re)-Ba-Ca-Cu-O with nominal composition 1223 (n=3), was studied in detail on samples prepared by the sealed quartz tube technique using a stoichiometric multiphase oxide precursor which reacted with an internal mercury source of HgO or an external source of HgCaO2. Also, superconducting tapes of Ag/Hg-1223 have been prepared by the Powder in Tube technique (PIT) and the thermal stability of the superconducting layer (similar to50mum) has been investigated. The tapes have been encapsulated in quartz tubes with a ceramic pellet of the same superconducting phase, in order to obtain an optimal filling factor and a constant equilibrium pressure inside the quartz tube. We have analyzed the influence of an excess of Hg and O-2 vapour pressure on the stability of the superconducting phase inside the Ag tape. The sintering reaction was carried out inside a quartz tube using an excess of Hg(I) as a mercury source in order to compensate the imminent amalgamation between the Ag and the Hg from the superconducting phase. Moreover, we have studied the influence of the oxygen pressure inside the quartz tube. We have found that an excess Of O-2 avoid the amalgamation of silver. Different annealing treatments of the samples were studied in order to improve superconducting properties. As conclusion, we have found that using appropriate external source and heating cycles, we can control the amalgamation process average and the quality of the superconducting phase. Finally, we have prepared textured thin films (less than or equal to1 mum) of n=2 phase on ceramic single crystals by PLD; the aim of that was to have a high critical current density for a superconducting Hg-1212 layer (n=2). Microstructure and composition of the ceramic pellets, PIT samples and thin films has been analysed by X-ray diffraction, SEM and EDX techniques. Superconducting properties of the samples were characterised by AC magnetic susceptibility, SQUID and four prove transport current measurements. Correlation between the superconducting properties and the processing conditions has been established. The critical current density (Jc) values of the PIT tapes are similar to the bulk specimens prepared by vapour-solid reaction, nevertheless in the textured thin films this Jc value goes up to 10(6) A/cm(2).