Microstructure and Critical Current of Commercially Available Coated Conductors (Rare-Earth-Based Superconducting Tapes)

Abstract

To adopt coated conductors to various superconducting devices, characteristics such as microstructure and critical current of commercially available coated conductors were investigated. The microstructure was analyzed using a transmission microscope with an energy dispersion spectroscopy. The critical current (I_C) were measured at 4.2 K and magnetic fields (B//c), and at 77 K and self-magnetic field. As a result of microstructure analyses, the magnetic field dependencies on I_C at 4.2 K are found to depend on the microstructure of the superconducting layer. Moreover, almost coated conductors were found to have a potential to improve their I_C at 77 K and self-magnetic field.

Fig. 1 Cross-sectional STEM images of (a) AMSC, (b) Fujikura, (c) Shanghai SC, (d) Sumitomo, (e) SuNAM, (f) SuperOX, (g) SuperPower1 and (h) SuperPower2.