Microstructure of Nb3 (AlSiB) superconducting tapes with extremely high critical current densities

Abstract

Alloys of Nb73Al12Si14.5B0.5 were rapidly solidified into amorphous ribbons using the melt spinning technique. These were isothermally annealed at temperatures ranging from 660 to 780 °C. The A15 phase began to crystallize at 700 °C and small amounts of second phases appeared at the higher temperatures. Crystallization was dependent on quenching rate as well as annealing conditions. Below 750 °C nucleation was nonuniform and was enhanced by surfaces and quenched-in nuclei. Above 750 °C nucleation became more uniform and completely crystalline ribbons with equiaxed grains ∼30 nm in diameter were obtained. These ultra fine grained ribbons had extremely high superconducting critical current densities of 8 × 1010 A/m2 and 5 × 1010 A/m2 at magnetic fields of 0.5 and 15 tesla, respectively, at 4.2 K.