Elucidating of Er211 performance in (Y,Er)Ba2Cu3Oy single-grain bulk superconductors by infiltration growth process

Abstract

The influence of Erbium, Er addition as an effective pinning centre on the microstructure and superconducting properties of transition temperature (T_c) and critical current density (J_c) of (Y,Er)Ba₂Cu₃O_y (Y,Er)123 bulk superconductors were well studied. Y₂BaCuO₅ (Y211) and Er₂BaCuO₅ (Er211) with different ratios were prepared to produce (Y,Er)123 bulks by infiltration growth (IG) technique. The T_c for all samples exhibited a sharp drop, indicating a single superconducting transition in (Y,Er)123 with a T_c-onset around 92 K. Microstructural analysis revealed a reduction size with homogenous distribution in (Y,Er)211 non-superconducting phase particles within the (Y,Er)123 matrixes, leading to enhancement of superconducting performance. The addition of Erbium improved J_c values up to 79 kA/cm² in self-field and the maximum trapped field value was reached up to 0.3 T at 77 K. Thus, the presence of Er could provide a potential advantage in fabricating high-performance superconducting bulk materials within mixed rare earth systems.