PRODUCTION OF OXIDE SUPERCONDUCTOR

摘要

PURPOSE:To remove a non-superconductor phase contained in a silver-added oxide superconductor material to heighten the orientation of crystals, homogeneously disperse silver in the field of the crystal particles and improve the critical current density of the superconductor by pressing the material and discarding a liquid phase composition squeezed thereby. CONSTITUTION:The sintered pellet 5 of a silver-added oxide superconductor (e.g. Bi2Sr2Ca2Cu3Ox) is placed on an anvil 2 and heated into a semi-melted state. The sintered pellet 5 is preferably heated so as to give a liquid phase ratio of approximately 10-40% based on the whole amount of the pellet. Under said state a pressure control device 6 is actuated to move a piston 3 downward, thereby pressing the oxide superconductor pellet 5. A liquid phase composition 10 is squeezed from the pressed semi-melted pellet and flowed out into a receptacle 11. Thereby, a non-superconductor phase contained in the liquid phase is removed to heighten the ratio of the superconductor phase. The crystals can be further collected and organized by the pressure to heighten the orientation of the superconductor.