Abstract: An oxide superconductor includes a textured superconducting material including an array of defects with a neutron-fissionable element, or with at least one of the following chemical elements: uranium-238, Nd, Mn, Re, Th, Sm, V, and Ta. The array of defects is dispersed throughout the superconducting material. The superconducting material may be the RE.sub.1 Ba.sub.2 Cu.sub.3 O.sub.7-.delta. compound, wherein RE=Y, Nd, La, Sm, Eu, Gd, Dy, Ho, Er, Tm, Yb, Lu; the Bi.sub.2 Sr.sub.2 CaCu.sub.2 O.sub.x, the (Bi, Pb).sub.2 Sr.sub.2 CaCu.sub.2 O.sub.x, Bi.sub.2 Sr.sub.2 Ca.sub.2 Cu.sub.3 O.sub.x or (Bi, Pb).sub.2 Sr.sub.2 Ca.sub.2 Cu.sub.3 O.sub.x compound; the Tl.sub.2 Ca.sub.1.5 BaCu.sub.2 O.sub.x or Tl.sub.2 Ca.sub.2 Ba.sub.2 Cu.sub.3 O.sub.x compound; or a compound involving substitution such as the Nd.sub.1+x Ba.sub.2-x Cu.sub.3 O.sub.x compounds. The neutron-fissionable element may be uranium-235. The oxide superconductor may include additional defects created by fission.