Electron‐irradiation‐induced effects on high‐Tc superconductors analysed by high‐resolution Auger electron spectroscopy

Abstract

AbstractThe change in the surface and bulk compositions of high‐Tc BiPbSrCaCuO and YBaCuO system superconductors caused by electron beam irradiation at room temperature have been investigated using high‐resolution Auger electron spectroscopy (AES). Electrons of energies between 5 and 15 keV were used to study energy‐dependent decomposition phenomena for a wide range of electron radiation doses up to a maximum value of above 1028 electrons m−2. Additionally, irradiations with focused electron beams were carried out on silver‐sheathed Bi1.7Pb0.3Sr2Ca2Cu3O10.2/10 wt.% Ag tape samples with relatively high critical current densities [jc(0 T, 77 K) = 3.3 × 108 A m−2] in order to investigate the radiation‐induced effects on surface and bulk compositions by AES multiplex and sputter depth‐profiling techniques. The results indicate that there are significant changes in composition of the BiPbSrCaCuO samples up to concentration values of about 10 at.% for oxygen and about 12 and 15 at.% for calcium and copper respectively, whereas only small irradiation‐induced decomposition effects are observed for YBaCuO single–crystal and thin film superconductors.