SYNTHESIS AND STRUCTURAL/MICROSTRUCTURAL CHARACTERISTICS OF Zn-DOPED Tl-BASED HIGH-Tc SUPERCONDUCTORS

Abstract

Bulk superconducting samples of type Tl 2 Ba 2 Ca n-1 Cu n-x Zn x O 8 (where n = 2, 3 and x = 0, 0.1, 0.25, 0.50) were prepared by standard ceramic method. The gross structural characteristics/phase identification of the as synthesized samples were carried out by powder X-ray diffraction technique. The microstructural characteristics of these samples were explored by scanning electron microscopic and transmission electron microscopic techniques. The chemical compositions of these samples were determined by energy dispersive analysis of X-rays technique. The powder X-ray diffraction patterns indicate that the lattice parameter "c" vary and "a" showed no regular variation but the gross structure of Tl-2212 and Tl-2223 remain tetragonal with Zn substitution upto 0.50. The transition temperature (Tc) measured by standard four-probe method decreases as x increases from 0 to 0.50. The transport critical density (Jc) values were also measured by standard four-probe method as potential difference of 1 μV/cm appears across the sample by increasing current. The electron microscopic explorations exhibit various structural features (stacking faults and uniform distribution of ZnO nanoparticles) which improve the physical properties (e.g., transport critical current density "Jc") of these superconductors. The observed enhancement in transport critical current densities (Jc) of at least one order of magnitude (from 102 to 103 A/cm 2) is due to the uniform distribution of ZnO nanoparticles which act as flux pinning centres.