Optimizing Plasma Synthesis for ‘Dirty’ ${\rm MgB}_{2}$

Abstract

During the past two years remarkable improvements in the superconducting MgB2 properties of have been achieved by alloying C or SiC in the MgB2 lattice. A new approach to the synthesis of dasiadirtypsila MgB2 is being developed using an rf plasma torch. The laminar flow of reactants in the plasma makes possible a new method to access non-equilibrium alloying of additives into the crystal structure of a powder. Design concepts and initial results will be presented.