Dependence of the Structural, Electrical, and Optical Properties of Y1—xEuxBa2Cu3O7—y on the Eu Mole Fraction

Abstract

The structural, electrical, and optical properties of Y1—xEuxBa2Cu3O7—y with various Eu mole fractions were investigated. From X-ray diffraction analysis, all of the Y1—xEuxBa2Cu3O7—y grown by solid state reaction were found to be of orthorhombic structures. Infrared transmittance measurements showed that the intensity of the absorbance for the Cu(1)–O(4) stretching mode in the frequency range between 456.75 and 474.93 cm—1 increased as the Eu mole fraction increased. When the Eu mole fraction became larger, while the normal state resistivity increased, the critical superconducting transition temperature of 92 K did not change. Perfect diamagnetism appeared for an applied electric field as small as the 520 Oe. The lowest critical current for Y1—xEuxBa2Cu3O7—y was approximately 103 A/cm2.