• Progress in Superconductivity and Cryogenics
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• v.25 no.4
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• pp.1-4
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• 2023

Recently, a claim of material, named LK-99 (a lead apatite-based compound), exhibiting a superconducting transition temperature of over 400 K under standard atmospheric pressure, was reported [1, 2]. This claim has generated considerable attention from scientists worldwide. Here, we synthesized five LK-99 samples following the method detailed in the original papers [1, 2], and measured structural and resistivity data for each of these samples. The structure of the synthesized samples (P6₃/m, a=9.82 Å , c=7.34 Å ) was very close to the reported one. Contrary to the report, however, no hint of room-temperature superconductivity was noted from any of the samples. The results of Energy-dispersive X-ray spectroscopy (EDXS) measurements demonstrate that the atomic distribution in the sample was inhomogenous, and unreacted precursors were included in the samples. To investigate the intrinsic superconducting properties of LK-99, we propose to synthesize samples having high structural purity and chemical uniformity.

• Progress in Superconductivity and Cryogenics
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• v.17 no.3
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• pp.9-12
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• 2015

NbN thin films were deposited on thermally oxidized Si substrate at room temperature by using reactive magnetron sputtering in an $Ar-N_2$ gas mixture. Total sputtering gas pressure was fixed while varying $N_2$ flow rate from 1.4 sccm to 2.9 sccm. X-ray diffraction pattern analysis revealed dominant NbN(200) orientation in the low $N_2$ flow rate but emerging of (111) orientation with diminishing (200) orientation at higher flow rate. The dependences of the superconducting properties on the $N_2$ gas flow rate were investigated. All the NbN thin films showed a small negative temperature coefficient of resistance with resistivity ratio between 300 K and 20 K in the range from 0.98 to 0.89 as the $N_2$ flow rate is increased. Transition temperature showed non-monotonic dependence on $N_2$ flow rate reaching as high as 11.12 K determined by the mid-point temperature of the transition with transition width of 0.3 K. On the other hand, the upper critical field showed roughly linear increase with $N_2$ flow rate up to 2.7 sccm. The highest upper critical field extrapolated to 0 K was 17.4 T with corresponding coherence length of 4.3 nm. Our results are discussed with the granular nature of NbN thin films.

• Electrical & Electronic Materials
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• v.9 no.4
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• pp.404-409
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• 1996

The structural and electric properties of $Y_{1-x}$YbF$_{x}$Ba$_{2}$Cu$_{3}$O$_{7-y}$(x=0.0, 0.1, 0.2, 0.3, 0.4, 0.5 and 0.6) have been investigated by using XRD(X-ray diffraction), TMA(thennomechanical analysis), NMR(nuclear magnetic resonance) analysis and four probe method. $Y_{1-x}$YbF$_{x}$Ba$_{2}$Cu$_{3}$O$_{7-y}$ samples were prepared by conventional solid-state reaction method using $Y_{2}$O$_{3}$, BaCO$_{3}$, CuO and YbF$_{3}$ power. TMA and high temperature XRD results shows that orthorhombic to tetragonal phase transition occurs in the unfluorinated 1-2-3 sample while the phase change is not observed in the fluorinated 1-2-3 samples. Superconducting transition temperature(T$_{c}$) increases with increasing YbF$_{3}$ content ; T$_{c}$, of the sample reaching maximum of 102K for x=0.3, and then decreases with further increasing YbF$_{3}$ content. The structural analysis and T$_{c}$ results shows that the fluorine doping stabilize the orthorhombic phase, together with the increase in T$_{c}$.}$ c/.TEX> c/.

• Journal of Powder Materials
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• v.20 no.2
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• pp.142-147
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• 2013

$YBa_2Cu_3O_{7-y}$ (Y123) powders for the fabrication of bulk superconductors were synthesized by the powder reaction method using $Y_2O_3$ (99.9% purity), $BaCO_3$ (99.75%) and CuO (99.9%) powders. The raw powders were weighed to the cation ratio of Y:Ba:Cu=1:2:3, mixed and calcined at $880^{\circ}C-930^{\circ}C$ in air with intermediate repeated crushing steps. It was found that the formation of Y123 powder was more sensitive to reaction temperature than reaction time. The calcined Y123 powder and a mixture of (Y123 + 0.25 mole $Y_2O_3$ + 1 wt.% $CeO_2$, $Y_{1.5}Ba_2Cu_3O_x$ (Y1.5)) were used as raw powders for the fabrication of poly-grain or single grain superconductors. The superconducting transition temperature ($T_{c,onset}$) of the sintered Y123 sample was 91 K and the transition width was as large as 11 K, whereas the $T_{c,onset}$ of the melt-grown Y1.5 sample was 90.5 K and the transition width was 3.5 K. The critical current density ($J_c$) at 77 K and 0 T of the sintered Y123 was 700 $A/cm^2$, whereas the $J_c$ of the top-seeded melt growth (TSMG) processed Y1.5 sample was $3.2{\times}10^4\;A/cm^2$. The magnetic flux density (H) at 77 K of the TSMG-processed Y123 and Y1.5 sample showed the 0.53 kG and 2.45 kG, respectively, which are 15% and 71% of the applied magnetic field of 3.5 kG. The high H value of the TSMG-processed Y1.5 sample is attributed to the formation of the larger superconducting grain with fine Y211 dispersion.

• Journal of the Korean Crystal Growth and Crystal Technology
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• v.9 no.2
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• pp.137-140
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• 1999

Effects of annealing and impurities on the superconducting properties were investigated by the magnetization measurement in $Bi_2Sr_2CaCu_2O_{8+{\delta}}(Bi2212)$ single crystals grown by flux method. It has been found that the superconducting properties are affected by Mg and Al impurities remarkably. The transition temperature$(T_c)$ has been lowered by the impurity of Mg. However, the diamagnetism is remarkably increased in an annealed crystal grown in MgO crucible compared to that in $Al_2O_3$ crucible. The content of Mg impurity can not be considered as a principal parameter for the decay of superconducting properties probably because the diamagnetism is remarkably improved in annealed crystal containing Mg.

• Journal of Powder Materials
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• v.19 no.2
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• pp.146-150
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• 2012

The effects of nano $Fe_xC$ addition to superconducting properties of $in$ $situ$ processed $MgB_2$ superconductors was examined. 0.1 wt.% and 1 wt.% nano $Fe_xC$ powders were mixed with boron and magnesium powders by ball milling. The powder mixtures were made into pellets by uniaxial pressing. The pellets were heat-treated at $700^{\circ}C-900^{\circ}C$ in argon atmosphere for $MgB_2$ formation. It was found by powder X-ray diffraction that the raw powders were completely converted into $MgB_2$ after the heat treatment. The superconducting transition temperature ($T_c$) and critical current density ($J_c$), estimated from susceptibility-temperature and $M-H$ curves, were decreased by nano $Fe_xC$ addition. The $T_c$ and $J_c$ decrease by nano $Fe_xC$ addition are attributed to the incorporation of iron and carbon with $MgB_2$ lattices (Fe substitution for Mg and C substitution for B) due to the high reactivity of the nano $Fe_xC$ powder.

• 한국초전도학회:학술대회논문집
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• v.9
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• pp.392-396
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• 1999

Superconducting YBa$_2Cu_3O_{7-{\delta}}$(YBCO) thin films were grown on Hastelloy(Ni-Cr-Mo alloys) with CeO$_2$ buffer layer in-situ by pulsed laser deposition in a multi-target processing chamber. To apply superconducting property on power transmission line, we have deposited YBCO thin film on flexible metallic substrate. However, it is difficult to grow the YBCO films on flexible metallic substrates due to both interdiffusion problem between metallic substrate and superconducting overlayers and non-crystallization of YBCO on amorphous substrate. It is necessary to use a buffer layer to overcome the difficulties. We have chosen CeO$_2$ as a buffer layer which has cubic structure of 5.41 ${\AA}$ lattice parameter and only 0.2% of lattice mismatch with 3.82 ${\AA}$ of a-axis lattice parameter of YBCO on [110] direction of CeO$_2$ In order to enhance the crystallization of YBCO films on metallic substrates, we deposited CeO$_2$ buffer layers with varying temperature and 02 pressure. By XRD, it is observed that dominated film orientation is strongly depending on the deposition temperature of CeO$_2$ layer. The dominated orientation of CeO$_2$ buffer layer is changed from (200) to(111) by increasing the deposition temperature and this transition affects the crystallization of YBCO superconducting film on CeO$_2$ buffered Hastelloy.

• Progress in Superconductivity and Cryogenics
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• v.15 no.3
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• pp.5-8
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• 2013

We have studied Hall effect for potassium (K)-doped $BaFe_2As_2$ superconducting thin films by analyzing the relation between the longitudinal resistivity (${\rho}_{xx}$) and the Hall resistivity (${\rho}_{xy}$). The thin films used in this study were fabricated on $Al_2O_3$ (000l) substrates by using an ex-situ pulsed laser deposition (PLD) technique under a high-vacuum condition of ~$10^{-6}$ Torr. The samples showed the high superconducting transition temperatures ($T_c$) of ~ 40 K. The ${\rho}_{xx}$ and the ${\rho}_{xy}$ for K-doped $BaFe_2As_2$ thin films were measured by using a physical property measurement system (PPMS) with a temperature sweep (T-sweep) mode at an applied current density of $100A/cm^2$ and at magnetic fields from 0 up to 9 T. We report the T-sweep results of the ${\rho}_{xx}$and the ${\rho}_{xy}$ to investigate Hall scaling behavior on the basis of the relation of ${\rho}_{xy}={A{\rho}_{xx}}^{\beta}$. The ${\beta}$ values are $3.0{\pm}0.2$ in the c-axis-oriented K-doped $BaFe_2As_2$ thin films, whereas the thin films with various oriented-directions like a polycrystal showed slightly lower ${\beta}$ than that of c-axis-oriented thin films. Interestingly, the ${\beta}$ value is decreased with increasing magnetic fields.

• Journal of the Korean Crystal Growth and Crystal Technology
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• v.14 no.2
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• pp.68-72
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• 2004

Sm-doped YBCO high $T_c$ superconductor was directionally grown by zone melt growth process in air atmosphere. Cylindrical green rods of $(Sm/Y)_{1.8}Ba_{2.4}Cu_{3.4}O_{7-x}$[(Sm/Y)1.8] oxides were fabricated by cold isostatic pressing (CIP) method using rubber mold. Based on the variation of melting temperature and growth rate, the microstructure and superconducting properties were systematically measured by using optical micrographs, TEM and SQUID magnetometer. In this study optimum melting temperature and growth rate were $1085^{\circ}C$ and 3.5 mm/hr respectively. Nonsuperconducting $(Sm/Y)_2BaCuO_5$ inclusions of (Sm/Y)1.8 superconductor were uniformly distributed within the superconducting (Sm/Y) $Ba_2Cu_3O^{7-x}$ matrix. The directionally melt-textured (Sm/Y)1.8 superconductor showed an onset $T_c$ $\geq$ 90K and sharp superconducting transition.

• Progress in Superconductivity and Cryogenics
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• v.18 no.4
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• pp.15-20
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• 2016

The effects of electron beam (EB) irradiation on the superconducting critical temperature ($T_c$) and critical current density ($J_c$) of YBCO films were studied. The YBCO thin films were irradiated using a KAERI EB accelerator with an energy of 0.2 MeV and a dose of $10^{15}-10^{16}e/cm^2$. A small $T_c$ decrease and a broad superconducting transition were observed as the EB dose increased. The value of $J_cs$ (at 20 K, 50 K and 70 K) increased at doses of $7.5{\times}10^{15}$ and $2.2{\times}10^{16}e/cm^2$. However, $J_cs$ decreased as the dose increased further. The X-ray diffraction (XRD) analysis showed that the c axis of YBCO was elongated and the full width at half maximum (FWHM) increased as the dose increased, which is strong evidence of the atomic displacement by EB irradiation. The transmission electron microscopy (TEM) showed that the amorphous layer formed in the vicinity of the surfaces of the irradiated films. The amorphous phase was often present as an isolated form in the interior of the films. In addition to the formation of the amorphous phase, many striations running along the a-b direction of YBCO were observed. The high magnification lattice image showed that the striations were stacking faults. The enhancement of $J_c$ by EB irradiation is likely to be due to the lattice distortion and the formation of defects such as vacancies and stacking faults. The decrease in $J_c$ at a high EB dose is attributed to the extension of the amorphous region of a non-superconducting phase.