Advances in Superconductivity III

Since the discovery of high temperature superconductors, many new materials have been invented. In the last year, several new materials were also discovered, but their critical temperatures are still below lOOK. Precise physical and chemical work has made tremendous progress in the theoretical and experimental study of physical properties and carrier state characterizations. The de Haas van Alphen effect measurement showed the existence of a Fermi surface in YBCO. Flux dynamics is a well-known new problem in which flux creep and irreversibility line features are especially important for a fundamental understanding of the critical current and flux pinning. Flux pinning centers which are intentionally added using non-superconducting precipitates, neutrons, and protons, etc. increase critical currents to practical levels. The analysis of electric and magnetic properties are expected to reveal the pinning mechanism and also to further application development. As for wires and bulks, many melt-like sintering techniques have improved the material performance of critical current densities. A new seeding Quench-Melt Growth technique enlarged crystal size and increased the repulsion force. These melting processes, in conjunction with a mechanical strength improvement have been effectively introduced into wire fabrication in order to realize kilometer range wires and will put the oxide wires to practical use. Where thin film is con cerned, when many fabrication methods had been developed using the assistance effect of activated oxygen such as ozone and oxygen radicals, a high current 2 density of 106A/cm at 77K was reported.