Critical currents in neutron irradiated YBCO and BiSCCO single crystals

Abstract

Neutron irradiation of high-Tc single crystals in the fluence range up to 2*1022 m2 (E>0.1 MeV) has been found to lead to the following property changes: 1. The critical temperature decreases only moderately at a rate of approximately 4 K per 1022 neutrons per m2; 2. The critical current densities Jc as deduced from magnetization measurements on the basis of an extended Bean model increase significantly; 3. These Jc-enhancements are larger at higher temperatures; 4. The anisotropy of Jc decreases significantly with neutron fluence; and 5. The irreversibility line in BiSCCO-2212 is shifted to much higher fields and temperatures.