SINGLE CRYSTAL SUPERCONDUCTING FIBERS OF BISMUTH-CALCIUM-STRONTIUM-COPPER-OXIDE

HIGH TEMPERATURE SUPERCONDUCTIVITY HAS RECENTLY BECOME THE SUBJECT OF INTENSE SCIENTIFIC INVESTIGATION. PRESENT MATERIALS ARE PREPARED BY SINTERING THE OXIDE POWDER COMPONENTS AND PRESSING INTO PELLETS. THIS RESULTS IN A MICRO-CRYSTALLINE STRUCTURE THAT HAS MANY DISADVANTAGES. THE CONTACT BETWEEN THE MICROCRYSTALS INCREASES THE RESISTANCE; THE COMPOSTION IS NOT STABLE; THE MATERIAL CANNOT BE READILY FORMED INTO USEFUL GEOMETRIES; AND, THE MATERIAL LACKS STRENGTH. WE ARE PROPOSING TO INVESTIGATE THE GROWTH OF THE NEW HIGH TEMPERATURE SUPERCONDUCTING MATERIAL, BI-CA-SR-CU-O, USING THE LASER-HEATED PEDESTAL-GROWTH TECHNIQUE. THIS TECHNIQUE HAS A GREAT DEAL OF FLEXIBILITY AND RESULTS IN SINGLE CRYSTAL FIBERS THAT AREAS PURE AS THE STARTING MATERIAL. BY CONTROLLING THE GROWTHATMOSPHERE AND THE GROWTH TEMPERATURE, THE COMPOSITION AND THE CRYSTAL PHASE CAN BE CONTROLLED. IF FIBERS OF THIS MATERIAL CAN BE SUCCESSFULLY GROWN USING THIS TECHNIQUE, A WIDE VARIETY OF COMMERCIAL APPLICATIONS COULD RESULT.