ELECTROCHEMICALLY CONTROLLED SUPERCONDUCTIVITY

摘要

The superconducting properties of superconducting compounds are controlled or maintained by active external electrochemical intervention. The superconducting compound forms one electrode in an electrochemical cell. A counterelectrode and the superconducting compound electrode are in contact with an electrolyte and a potential is applied between the counterelectrode and the superconducting electrode. The cell is operated at a temperature near the expected transition temperature of the superconducting material. The potential applied between the electrodes is selected to control a property such as transition temperature. In a preferred embodiment, a superconducting material such as Ba2YCu3O7-x serves as an anode and a counterelectrode such as a mercury-mercuric oxide reference electrode serves as a cathode. Suitable oxygen-bearing electrolytes are ozone and trifluoronitrosomethane. In another embodiment, a superconducting cuprate material serves as a cathode and the electrolyte is copper-bearing.