We present results of Raman spectroscopic studies of superconducting $YBa_2Cu_3O_7$ (YBCO) coated conductors. Raman scattering is used to characterize optical phonon modes, oxygen content, c-axis misalignment, and second phases of the YBCO coated conductors at a micro scale. A two-dimensional mapping of Raman spectra with transport properties has been performed to elucidate the effect of local propertied on current path and superconducting phase. The information taken from the local measurement will be useful for optimizing the process condition.

For ac applications a detailed understanding of the ac power losses associated with different conductor configurations is of crucial importance. YBCO thin films were divided into parallel filaments with widths of 1, 2, and 4 mm to reduce hysteresis losses. The measured hysteresis losses show a linear relationship between the strip width and hysteresis loss as anticipated. The influence of different inter-filament separations on the hysteresis loss is investigated.

We have developed and tested an RSFQ 4-bit Arithmetic Logic Unit (ALU) based on half adder cells and de switches. ALU is a core element of a computer processor that performs arithmetic and logic operations on the operands in computer instruction words. The designed ALU had limited operation functions of OR, AND, XOR, and ADD. It had a pipeline structure. We have simulated the circuit by using Josephson circuit simulation tools in order to reduce the timing problem, and confirmed the correct operation of the designed ALU. We used simulation tools of $XIC^{TM},\;WRspice^{TM}$, and Julia. The fabricated 4-bit ALU circuit had a size of $\3000{\ cal}um{\times}1500{\cal}$, and the chip size was $5{\cal} mm{\times}5{\cal}mm$. The test speeds were 1000 kHz and 5 GHz. For high-speed test, we used an eye-diagram technique. Our 4-bit ALU operated correctly up to 5 GHz clock frequency. The chip was tested at the liquid-helium temperature.

We investigated temperature behavior of superconducting fault current limiters (SFCLs) during quenches. Knowledge on temperature behavior during quenches is important to the design of SFCLs, because the temperature of SFCLs is related to their stability. SFCLs were fabricated by patterning $Au/YBa_2Cu_3O_7$ thin films grown on sapphire substrates into meander lines by photolithography. A gold film grown on the back side of the substrate was patterned into a meander line, and used as a temperature sensor. The front meander line was subjected to simulated AC fault currents, and the back line to DC current. They were immersed in liquid nitrogen during the experiment for effective cooling. Overall, temperature at the back side of SFCLs was close to that at the front side. It was closer at the beginning of faults, and at lower applied voltages. Temperature distribution at the back side was even except at the edge, as at the front side. These results tell that the whole SFCL was heated to similar degree during quenches, and that effective cooling of SFCLs at the back side is as important to the stability of SFCLs as at the front side. The results could be explained with the concept of heat transfer within the film.

In this study, electromagnetic analysis of current paths including meander pattern, spiral pattern, and bi-spiral pattern were performed and in order to verity the analysis results, experiments tests including quench test, and insulation tests were performed. In addition, bubble corner concepts were introduced to enhance insulation reliability. From our study, bi-spiral pattern of YBCO thin films were rather effective for quench and insulation than the other patterns. So this current path pattern was adopted for YBCO thin films in order to develop 6.6 kV resistive fault current limiters. Finally YBCO thin films were connected in series and parallel to enhance capacity, and the test results of current limiting characteristics of 6.6kV resistive SFCL were successful. The Progress in Superconductivity is published every six month and serves as a channel for publications on superconductivity and related topics. The author(s) are required to submit THREE copies of the manuscripts along with original figures directly to the Editor.

A low cost YBCO oxide powder was employed as a starting precursor for MOD process. YBCO oxide is advantageous over metal acetates or TFA salts which are popular starting precursors for conventional MOD-TFA process because that YBCO oxide precursor is cheap and easy to control molar ratio. YBCO thin films were prepared by this oxide-precursor-based MOD process and annealing condition was optimized. The YBCO thin film annealed at below $780^{\circ}C$ shows no transport $I_c$ and poor microstructure. Raman spectroscopic study of YBCO thin film indicates that YBCO thin film prepared at below $780^{\circ}C$ contains a number of imperfections such as non-superconducting $BaCuO_2$ phase, cation disorder, etc. However, the YBCO thin film treated at above $800^{\circ}C$ shows improvement in microstructure and current transport properties. This research was supported by a grant from Center for Applied Superconductivity Technology of the 21st Century Frontier R&D Program funded by the Ministry of Science and Technology, Republic of Korea.

Homogeneous and fine powders for Bi-2223 tape were prepared by ultrasonic spray pyrolysis (SP) method from an aqueous solution of metal nitrates. Bi-2223 precursor powders were synthesized with various solutes concentration and pyrolysis temperature. The synthesized precursor powders had a narrow particle size distribution and an average particle size was $\~{\cal}um$. The reactivity of precursor powder by SP method is very high, attributed to the fine and narrow particle size distribution. Bi-2223/Ag tape was prepared using PIT method and followed by various sintering conditions. The precursor powder by SP method promoted a very quick formation of the Bi-2223 phase for short sintering time while the secondary phase such as large AEC phase and $Ca_2PbO_4$ were minimized for SP tapes.

The formation behavior of $YBa_2Cu_3O_{7-x}$(Y123) and CuO phases in the heat-treated Cu-sheathed YBCO thick films was studied. The thick films were prepared by screen-printing method using $BaCO_3$ and Y211 powders on Cu tapes. The screen-printed thick films were placed at the center of the tube furnace, heated to $930^{\circ}C$ in air atmosphere and then maintained at the temperature for 60 sec - 300 sec. The microstructure and phases formed in the thick films were investigated by using optical microscope, X-ray diffraction (XRD) and SEM image analysis. During the heat treatment, partial melting occurred rapidly in the printed layers by peritectic reaction between CuO and precursor powders, and then YBCO superconducting phases nucleated from the Cu tapes and grew in a form of thick films.

We fabricated the Au/Ni template for YBCO coated conductors and evaluated texture formation and the microstructural evolution. The cube textured Ni substrate was fabricated by rolling and recrystallization annealing, and subsequently Au layer formed on the substrate by electroless-plating method. The texture was evaluated by pole-figure with x-ray goniometer with orientation distribution function (ODF) analysis. The surface roughness and grain boundary morphology of template were characterized by atomic force microscopy (AFM) We observed that Au layer deposited epitaxially on Ni substrate and formed a strong cube texture when plating time was optimized. The full-width at half-maximum (FWHM) was $8.4^{\circ}$ for out-of-plane and $9.98^{\circ}$ for in-plane texture for plating time of 30 min. Microstructural observation showed that the Au layer was homogeneous and dense without formation of crack/microcrack. In addition, we observed that root-mean-square (RMS) and depth of grain boundary were 14.6 nm and 160 $\AA$ for the Au layer, respectively, while those were 27.0 nm and 800 $\AA$ for the Ni substrate, indicating that the electoless-plated Au layer had relatively smooth surface and effectively mollified grain groove.

Bi-2223/Ag tapes need to be safe, even it is under the over-critical current state for the protection of a superconducting power machine. However, it is not easy to identify the condition for the safe operation because of their broad S/N transition region. In this paper, for the study of the operation condition of Bi-2223/ Ag tapes, we investigated the V-I curves and the temperature variation of Bi-2223/ Ag tapes experimentally, applying alternating over-currents, and analyzed the relationship between resistance and temperature increase. For the experiments, a Bi-2223/Ag tape of 57 A $I_c$ was prepared, and the over-critical current characteristics under adiabatic state from $LN_2$ was measured. From the experiments, we confirmed that the Joule heating predicted by V-I curve corresponded with the increase of the measured temperature exactly. Using the results, a safe operation condition of Bi-2223 tape was discussed.

YBCO coated conductors have been fabricated with a newly developed oxide-precursor-based MOD process. The precursor solution was synthesized with low cost YBCO powders as starting materials and YBCO coated conductors have been deposited on IBAD substrate ($CeO_2$/IBAD-YSZ/SS). YBCO coated conductor prepared by dip coating shows transport $I_c$ of 15A/cm-w at 77 K. Microstructural and crystallographic analyses indicate that YBCO layer was grown in epitaxy with substrate and exhibited well-developed dense microstructure. Also discussed are processing and analysis of YBCO coated conductor by slot-die web coating method. It was shown that this oxide-based MOD process provides a low cost route to coated conductor with high $J_c$.