Change in superconducting properties of Bi-2212 single crystal due to fast neutron irradiation followed by thermal annealing

Abstract

Change in superconducting properties due to fast neutron irradiation followed by thermal annealing was investigated on Bi-2212 single crystal specimens prepared by the floating-zone method. After irradiation with the fast neutron fluence of 5×1018 cm−12, the specimens were annealed in air at 673 K or 1073 K for 1 h to 3 d. The critical current density (Jc) calculated from the magnetization hysteresis at 4.3 K, 20 K, 40 K and 60 K and the irreversibility field (Birr) decreased due to the irradiation all over the range of temperature and magnetic field, and they were recovered by thermal annealing. In particular, the Jc values of the specimen annealed at 673 K for 1 to 3 h increased 2 orders of magnitude from the initial value before irradiation.