Apparatus and method for forming textured bulk high temperature superconducting materials

摘要

Apparatus and method for fabricating textured pseudo-single crystal bulk superconducting materials, featuring introduction of a pressure gradient and/or of a magnetic field for enhancement of known melt-texturing directional solidification techniques using a steep temperature gradient furnace for increasing temperatures at which superconductive properties can be maintained in superconducting materials. The strengths of the temperature gradient, pressure gradient and/or magnetic field can be optimally varied, resulting in formation of superconducting material exhibiting superconductive properties at higher temperatures than previously achievable.