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Critical Currents at Grain Boundaries in High Temperature Superconductors

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  18 March 2011

D. Agassi
Affiliation:
Naval Surface Warfare Center, Carderock Division, Bethesda, MD
S. J. Pennycook
Affiliation:
Solid State Division, Oak Ridge National Laboratory, Oak Ridge, Tennessee
D. K. Christenb
Affiliation:
Solid State Division, Oak Ridge National Laboratory, Oak Ridge, Tennessee
G. Duscher
Affiliation:
Solid State Division, Oak Ridge National Laboratory, Oak Ridge, Tennessee Department of Material Science and Engineering, North Carolina State University, Raleigh, NC
A. Franceschetti
Affiliation:
Naval Surface Warfare Center, Carderock Division, Bethesda, MD Department of Physics and Astronomy, Vanderbilt University, Nashville TN
S. T. Pantelides
Affiliation:
Naval Surface Warfare Center, Carderock Division, Bethesda, MD Department of Physics and Astronomy, Vanderbilt University, Nashville TN
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Abstract

We present atomic resolution Z-contrast images, electron energy loss spectroscopy (EELS) and theoretical calculations in support of a band-bending model for the effect of grain boundaries on critical currents. In the high angle regime, dislocation cores are closely spaced and the boundary is modeled as a continuous junction, with a width determined by the dislocation density per unit boundary length. This quantitatively explains the approximately exponential reduction in critical current. In the low angle regime, where dislocations are separated by substantial good passages, explicit calculations of flux pinning are presented. Significant differences are found between a strain and band-bending mechanism. Recent data fit the band-bending model and suggest substantial improvement is possible through doping to a flat band condition.

Type
Research Article
Copyright
Copyright © Materials Research Society 2002

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References

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