Transport critical current densities of silver clad Bi-Pb-Sr-Ca-Cu-O tapes at liquid helium and hydrogen temperatures

Abstract

Using improved processing conditions, we have succeeded in increasing the transport critical current density (Jc) of powder-in-tube fabricated silver sheathed Bi-Pb-Sr-Ca-Cu-O superconducting tapes. Jc values at zero field now exceed 1.6×105 A/cm2 (Ic∼164 A) at 4.2 K and 1.3×105 A/cm2 (Ic∼133 A) at 20.2 K for short tape samples. At 77 K the same samples exhibit values greater than 3.0×104 A/cm2 (Ic∼32 A). They continue to carry 6.5×104 A/cm2 at 4.2 K and 4.8×104 A/cm2 at 20.2 K with applied magnetic fields as high as 20 T. Long lengths of tape were also fabricated and measured by winding the composites into small spiral or pancake coils. The small pancake coils carried 4.8×104 A/cm2 at 4.2 K and 5.2×103 A/cm2 at 77 K, zero field. More recently, 1 m lengths have been measured with Jc’s as high as 1.0×104 A/cm2 at 77 K, zero field. Detailed transport measurements at liquid helium and hydrogen temperatures with applied magnetic fields up to 20 T are reported for short and long lengths of monocore tapes.