A novel method for fabricating of high-performance multi-seeding GdBCO bulk superconductors

Abstract

A novel multi-seeding (NMS) method is proposed for improving the performances of GdBCO samples by optimizing the shapes and the space configurations of the single-domain GdBCO grains. Three multi-seeding GdBCO bulk superconductors with dimensions of 60 × 20 × 14 mm3 were fabricated by a Gd + 011 infiltration growth method with different seeding techniques: samples S1 and S2 by the traditional multi-seeding method (TMS) with two and three seeds, respectively; and sample S3 by the NMS method with three seeds. The results show that among the three, sample S3 has both of the largest levitation force, 111 N, and the largest magnetic field coupling ratio, 68.57%, which are clearly higher than the levitation force of 100 N and 90 N, and the magnetic field coupling ratios of 34.25% and 11.33% for the samples S1 and S2, respectively. These results indicate that the NSM method is a useful way to improve the mechanical strength, homogeneity, and performances of multi-seeding GdBCO samples.