Physical Properties of High-Temperature Superconductors

Rainer Wesche Ecole Polytechnique Fédérale de Lausanne (EPFL), Centre de Recherches en Physique des Plasmas (CRPP), Switzerland

• About the Author xiSeries Preface xiiiPreface xvAcknowledgment xviiList of Tables xixNomenclature xxiii1. Brief History of Superconductivity 11.1 Introduction 11.2 Milestones in the Field of Superconductivity 11.2.1 Early Discoveries 11.2.2 Progress in the Understanding of Superconductivity 41.2.3 Discovery of High-Temperature Superconductivity 41.2.4 Importance of Higher Transition Temperatures for Applications 62. The Superconducting State 132.1 Introduction 132.2 Electrical Resistance 132.3 Characteristic Properties of Superconductors 222.4 Superconductor Electrodynamics 302.5 Thermodynamics of Superconductors 343. Superconductivity: A Macroscopic Quantum Phenomenon 453.1 Introduction 453.2 BCS Theory of Superconductivity 453.3 Tunneling Effects 524. Type II Superconductors 694.1 Introduction 694.2 The Ginzburg-Landau Theory 704.3 Magnetic Behavior of Type I and Type II Superconductors 734.4 Critical Current Densities of Type I and Type II Superconductors 814.5 Anisotropic Superconductors 835. Cuprate Superconductors: An Overview 875.1 Introduction 875.2 Families of Superconductive Cuprates 885.3 Variation of Charge Carrier Density (Doping) 935.4 Summary 966. Crystal Structures of Cuprate Superconductors 1016.1 Introduction 1016.2 Diffraction Methods 1026.2.1 Bragg Condition 1026.2.2 Miller Indices 1026.2.3 Classification of Crystal Structures 1036.2.4 X-ray Diffraction 1046.2.5 Neutron Diffraction 1066.3 Crystal Structures of the Cuprate High-Temperature Superconductors 1076.3.1 The Crystal Structure of La2CuO4 1076.3.2 The Crystal Structure of YBa2Cu3O7-delta 1086.3.3 The Crystal Structures of Bi-22(n-1)n High-Temperature Superconductors 1116.3.4 The Crystal Structures of Tl-based High-Temperature Superconductors 1136.3.5 The Crystal Structures of Hg-based High-Temperature Superconductors 1216.3.6 Lattice Parameters of Cuprate Superconductors 1247. Empirical Rules for the Critical Temperature 1317.1 Introduction 1317.2 Relations between Charge Carrier Density and Critical Temperature 1327.3 Effect of the Number of CuO2 Planes in the Copper Oxide Blocks 1357.4 Effect of Pressure on the Critical Temperature 1387.5 Summary 1468. Generic Phase Diagram of Cuprate Superconductors 1518.1 Introduction 1518.2 Generic Phase Diagram of Hole-Doped Cuprate Superconductors 1518.2.1 Generic Phase Diagram: An Overview 1518.2.2 Symmetry of the Superconducting Order Parameter 1538.2.3 The Pseudogap 1588.3 Summary 1619. Superconducting Properties of Cuprate High-Tc Superconductors 1659.1 Introduction 1659.2 Characteristic Length Scales 1669.3 Superconducting Energy Gap 1699.4 Magnetic Phase Diagram and Irreversibility Line 1719.5 Critical Current Densities in Cuprate Superconductors 1749.5.1 Definitions of the Critical Current 1749.5.2 Critical Currents in Polycrystalline Cuprate Superconductors 1789.5.3 Critical Currents in Bulk Cuprate Superconductors 1829.5.4 Critical Currents in Superconducting Films 1839.6 Grain-Boundary Weak Links 1889.7 Summary 19310. Flux Pinning in Cuprate High-Tc Superconductors 20310.1 Introduction 20310.2 Vortex Lattice 20410.3 Consequences of Anisotropy and Intrinsic Pinning 20510.4 Thermally Activated Flux Creep 20710.5 Irreversibility Lines 21610.6 Summary 22411. Transport Properties 23111.1 Introduction 23111.2 Normal-State Resistivity 23211.3 Thermal Conductivity 24911.4 Summary 25612. Thermoelectric and Thermomagnetic Effects 26512.1 Introduction 26512.2 Thermoelectric Power of Cuprate Superconductors 26912.3 Nernst Effect 27312.4 Summary 27613. Specific Heat 27913.1 Introduction 27913.2 Specific Heat at Low Temperatures 28013.3 Specific Heat Jump at the Transition to Superconductivity 28413.4 Specific Heat Data up to Room Temperature 28713.5 Summary 28914. Powder Synthesis and Bulk Cuprate Superconductors 29314.1 Introduction 29314.2 Synthesis of Cuprate Superconductor Powders 29414.2.1 Yttrium-based Superconductors 29414.2.2 Bismuth-based Superconductors 29614.2.3 Thallium-based Superconductors 30314.2.4 Mercury-based Superconductors 31114.3 Bulk Cuprate High-Tc Superconductors 31714.3.1 Introduction 31714.3.2 Bi-2212 and (Bi,Pb)-2223 Bulk Superconductors 31714.3.3 RE-123 Bulk Superconductors 32014.4 Summary 32615. First- and Second-Generation High-Temperature Superconductor Wires 33915.1 Introduction 33915.2 First-Generation High-Tc Superconductor Wires and Tapes 34015.2.1 Introduction 34015.2.2 Ag/Bi-2212 Wires and Tapes 34115.2.3 Ag/Bi-2223 Tapes 35115.3 Second-Generation of High-Tc Superconductor Tapes 36115.3.1 Introduction 36115.3.2 Manufacturing Routes for Coated Conductors 36215.3.3 Critical Current Densities of Coated Conductors 37015.3.4 Lengthy Coated Conductors 37916. Cuprate Superconductor Films 39316.1 Introduction 39316.2 Film Deposition Techniques 39416.2.1 Preparation of Bismuth-based Cuprate Superconductor Films 39416.2.2 Preparation of Thallium-based Cuprate Superconductor Films 39416.2.3 Preparation of Mercury-based Cuprate Superconductor Films 39716.2.4 Preparation of RE-123 Superconductor Films 40416.3 Multilayers of Ultrathin Films 40716.4 Strain Effects 41216.5 Summary 41617. MgB2 - An Intermediate-Temperature Superconductor 42317.1 Introduction 42317.2 Physical Properties of MgB2 42417.3 MgB2 Wires and Tapes 43717.4 MgB2 Bulk Material 44417.5 MgB2 Films 44617.6 Summary 45018. Iron-Based Superconductors - A New Class of High-Temperature Superconductors 45918.1 Introduction 45918.2 Critical Temperatures of Iron-based Superconductors 46118.3 Crystal Structures of Iron-based Superconductors 46718.4 Physical Properties of Iron-based Superconductors 47118.5 Synthesis of Iron-based Superconductors 47718.6 Critical Current Densities in Iron-based Superconductors 47718.7 Summary 48219. Outlook 48919.1 Introduction 48919.2 The Investigation of Physical Properties 49019.3 Conductor Development 49119.4 Magnet and Power Applications 492Author Index 497Subject Index 501