Abstract: Methods and apparatus characterized by distinct operating modes are provided. A thin graphite material defined by graphene layers is supported on a silicon substrate. The graphite material is defined by edge sites at the interface with the silicon. The graphite material is characterized by electrical superconductive-like behavior at room-temperatures while electrical current flows there through in a first direction. The graphite material is further characterized by a transition to Ohmic behavior while electrical current flows there through in a second direction opposite to the first. Devices exhibiting diode-like behavior can be formed accordingly.

Abstract: An oxide superconductor film formed on a substrate includes an oxide containing at least one metal M selected from the group consisting of yttrium and lanthanoid metals, provided that cerium, praseodymium, and promethium are excluded, and barium and copper, in which the film has an average thickness of 350 nm or more, an average amount of residual carbon of 3×1019 atoms/cc or more, and an amount of residual fluorine in a range of 5×1017 to 1×1019 atoms/cc, and in which, when divided the film into a plurality of regions from a surface of the film or from an interface between the film and the substrate, each region having a thickness of 10 nm, atomic ratios of copper, fluorine, oxygen and carbon between two adjacent regions are in a range of ? times to 5 times.

Abstract: A superconducting wire includes first and second superconducting layers disposed on one or more substrates in stacked relationship, the first superconducting layer comprising a high temperature superconducting oxide of a first composition and the second superconducting layer comprising a high temperature superconducting layer of a second composition, wherein the first and second compositions are different. The first superconductor layer optionally includes a high temperature superconductor composition selected to provide enhanced critical current (Ic(c)) in the presence of magnetic fields perpendicular to surface of the superconducting layer (H//c). The second superconductor layer optionally includes a high temperature superconductor composition selected to provide enhanced critical current (Ic) in the presence of magnetic fields parallel to surface of the superconducting layer (H//ab).

Abstract: In a DC power transmission and distribution line, a power cable line for making it possible to easily supply power to various electric power machines used for operation of the line is provided. A power cable line includes a power cable (1g, 1r, 1p, 1m, 1n) for executing DC transmission and distribution, an AC superposing section 2 for superposing an AC component on the power cable, and a branch power supply section 3 for taking out power induced by the superposed AC component from the cable. The AC component is superposed on the power cable by the AC superposing section 2 and AC power together with DC power is transmitted to the power cable. The superposed AC component is taken out by the branch power supply section 3 provided in a midway point of the cable and is supplied to various electric power machines.

Abstract: The present invention relates to a method of preparing an oxide superconducting film, the method includes reacting a metal acetate containing metal M selected from the group consisting of lanthanum, neodymium and samarium with fluorocarboxylic acid having not less than three carbon atoms, reacting barium acetate with fluorocarboxylic acid having two carbon atoms, reacting copper acetate with fluorocarboxylic acid having not less than two carbon atoms, respectively, followed by refining reaction products, dissolving the reaction products in methanol such that a molar ratio of the metal M, barium and copper is 1:2:3 to prepare a coating solution, and coating a substrate with the coating solution to form a gel film, followed by calcining and firing the gel film to prepare an oxide superconducting film.

Abstract: A method for producing a thick film includes disposing a precursor solution onto a substrate to form a precursor film. The precursor solution contains precursor components to a rare-earth/alkaline-earth-metal/transition-metal oxide including a salt of a rare earth element, a salt of an alkaline earth metal, and a salt of a transition metal in one or more solvents, wherein at least one of the salts is a fluoride-containing salt, and wherein the ratio of the transition metal to the alkaline earth metal is greater than 1.5. The precursor solution is treated to form a rare earth-alkaline earth-metal transition metal oxide superconductor film having a thickness greater than 0.8 ?m. precursor solution.

Abstract: A superconducting thin film is disclosed having columnar pinning centers utilizing nano dots, and comprising nano dots (3) which are formed insularly on a substrate (2) and three-dimensionally in shape and composed of a material other than a superconducting material and also other than a material of which the substrate is formed, columnar defects (4) composed of the superconducting material and grown on the nano dots (3), respectively, a lattice defect (6) formed on a said columnar defect (4), and a thin film of the superconducting material (5) formed in those areas on the substrate which are other than those where said columnar defects are formed.

Abstract: A metal substrate for an oxide superconducting wire, which comprises a polycrystalline metal substrate with a rolled aggregate structure having a {100} plane which is parallel to the rolled surface and a <001> axis which is parallel to the rolling direction, and an oxide crystal layer comprising an oxide of the polycrystalline metal and formed on a surface of the polycrystalline metal substrate, wherein at least 90% of grain boundaries in the oxide crystal layer have an inclination of 10° or less, and at least 90% of the {100} plane of the oxide crystal layer make an angle of 10° or less with the surface of the polycrystalline metal substrate.

Abstract: A Superconducting Quantum Interference Device (SQUID) is disclosed comprising a pair of resistively shunted Josephson junctions connected in parallel within a superconducting loop and biased by an external direct current (dc) source. The SQUID comprises a semiconductor substrate and at least one superconducting layer. The metal layer(s) are separated by or covered with a semiconductor material layer having the properties of a conductor at room temperature and the properties of an insulator at operating temperatures (generally less than 100 Kelvins). The properties of the semiconductor material layer greatly reduces the risk of electrostatic discharge that can damage the device during normal handling of the device at room temperature, while still providing the insulating properties desired to allow normal functioning of the device at its operating temperature. A method of manufacturing the SQUID device is also disclosed.

Abstract: A superconductive article is disclosed, having a substrate a buffer layer overlying the substrate, and a superconductive layer overlying the buffer layer. According to embodiments, the article may have low density characteristics, associated with the article as a whole and/or individual layers of the article. The article may be embodied in the form of long length conductors, coiled long length conductors, and machines incorporating such coils, for example.

Abstract: Superconducting cables and magnetic devices are disclosed.

Abstract: A method includes providing a superconducting material having pinning sites that can pin magnetic vortices within the superconducting material. The method also includes pinning one or more magnetic vortices at one or more of the pinning sites. An information storage apparatus includes a superconducting material, doped particles within the superconducting material that can pin dipole magnetic vortices, a magnetic tip that generates pinned magnetic vortices and a magnetic detector that detects pinned magnetic vortices.

Abstract: In a Field Effect Transistor (FET) with a semiconductor channel the use of a high Tc oxide superconductor material in the gate electrode provides both control of parasitic resistance and capacitance and a proper work function when operated at a temperature below the Tc. The 1-2-3 compound oxide superconductors with the general formula Y1Ba2Cu3O7-y where y is approximately 0.1 have the ability in use in FET's to provide convenient work functions, low resistance and capacitance, and to withstand temperatures encountered in processing as the FET is being manufactured.

Abstract: Superconducting cables and magnetic devices are disclosed.

Abstract: A multi-layer passivation barrier (24) for, and a method of, passivating a superconducting layer (22) of a microelectronic device (20). The passivation barrier includes a passivating layer (32) and a barrier buffering layer (30). The passivating layer provides a barrier to moisture, salts, alkali metals and the like located outside the device. The passivating layer also provides a barrier to outdiffusion of oxygen from the superconducting layer. The buffering layer permits oxygen to diffuse therethrough and provides a barrier to prevent diffusion of one or more constituent chemical elements of the passivating layer into the superconducting layer. The method includes the steps of depositing the barrier buffering layer (30) onto the superconducting layer (22) and depositing the passivating layer (32) onto the buffering layer.

Abstract: Improvements in critical current capacity for superconducting film structures are disclosed and include the use of, e.g., multilayer YBCO structures where individual YBCO layers are separated by a layer of an insulating material such as CeO2 and the like, a layer of a conducting material such as strontium ruthenium oxide and the like or by a second superconducting material such as SmBCO and the like.

Abstract: A flux-pinning system comprised of a high temperature superconductor film on a carrier wherein the film is provided with a multiplicity of holes of a radius of 50 to 2000 nm serves as the basis for an electronic component which can be utilized in high frequency and radial frequency circuits and in conjunction with SQUIDs. The holes can be arranged with variable density over the film or in the form of a uniform hexagonal or square grid and the high temperature superconductor is preferably a YBa2Cu3O7 composition. The film has a configuration of a high frequency component and may be strip shaped or loop shaped.

Abstract: A flux-pinning system comprised of a high temperature superconductor film on a carrier wherein the film is provided with a multiplicity of holes of a radius of 50 to 2000 nm serves as the basis for an electronic component which can be utilized in high frequency and radial frequency circuits and in conjunction with SQUIDs. The holes can be arranged with variable density over the film or in the form of a uniform hexagonal or square grid and the high temperature superconductor is preferably a YBa2Cu3O7 composition. The film has a configuration of a high frequency component and may be strip shaped or loop shaped.

Abstract: An oxide superconducting element wire (20) comprises a base material (1), an intermediate layer (2), and an oxide superconducting thin film (3). The base material (1) being long and flexible has a cross-section in a circular or a regular polygonal form perpendicular to the longitudinal direction of the same. The periphery of the base material (1) is covered with an intermediate layer (2) and the periphery of the same is covered with an oxide superconducting thin film (3). The oxide superconducting thin film (3) has a portion in which a crystal orientation is three-axes aligned continuing in the longitudinal direction of the element wire (20).

Abstract: Compounds of the of the general formula La3−zMezBa3Ca1−vNcvCu7O16+x, wherein Me can be a rare earth metal or an alkaline metal ion selected from the group consisting of yttrium (Y), ytterbium (Yb), sodium (Na) and Nc can be a 2+ ion selected from the group consisting of magnesium (Mg) and cadmium (Cd) have been prepared as the HTSC in thin film superconductors. These compounds can be used as thin film high critical superconductors in thin film high critical temperature superconducting structures and antennas and in multilayered structures and devices such as Josephson junctions, broadband impedance transformers and both flux flow and field effect transistors TABLE 1 Properties of La3-zMezBa3Ca1-vCu7O16+x Compounds. Lattice Parameter (Å) Onset Compound c &agr; Tc (K.) La3Ba3CaCu7O16+x 11.650 3.865 72  11.

Abstract: The invention relates to a laminate with, one after the other, amorphous or polycrystalline substrate, a textured buffer layer, and an oriented thin layer. In addition, at least one cover layer is contained between the buffer layer and the thin layer. In a method for producing laminate, a buffer layer is applied to a substrate, with the buffer layer material being evaporated from the buffer layer material dispensing devices at an angle &agr;1≠0 at the normal to the substrate surface onto the latter, before an oriented thin layer is evaporated.

Abstract: A thin-film of a high temperature superconducting compound having the formula M1-xCuO2-y, where M is Ca, Sr, or Ba, or combinations thereof, x is 0.05 to 0.3, and x>y. The thin film has a Tc (zero resistivity) of about 40 K. Also disclosed is a method of producing the superconducting thin film.

Abstract: A flux-pinning system comprised of a high temperataure superconductor film on a carrier wherein the film is provided with a multiplicity of holes of a radius of 50 to 2000 nm serves as the basis for an electronic component which can be utilized in high frequency and radial frequency circuits and in conjuction with SQUIDs. The holes can be arranged with variable density over the film or in the form of a uniform hexagonal or square grid and the high temperature superconductor is preferably a YBa2Cu3P7 composition.

Abstract: This invention permits superconducting ceramics, as well as other ceramic materials, to be spray deposited onto indefinitely large sheets of metallic substrate from a carboxylic acid salt solution. Elemental metal precursors of the superconductor are introduced into the solution as carboxylic acid salts. The deposit formed on the malleable metallic substrate is then thermomechanically calcined to form c-axis textured metal-superconductor composite sheet structures. These composite sheet structures can be formed by pressing together two ceramic-substrate structures, ceramic face-to-face, to form a metal-ceramic-metal sheet structure, or by overlaying a metal sheet over the deposited structure. Once the structure has been thermomechanically calcined, the c-axis of the superconductor is oriented parallel to the vector defining the plane of the metal sheet, i.e., perpendicular to the surface of the plane.

Abstract: A FET type superconducting device comprises a thin superconducting channel, a superconducting source region and a superconducting drain region formed of an oxide superconductor over a principal surface of the substrate, and a gate electrode on a gate insulator disposed on the superconducting channel for controlling the superconducting current flowing through the superconducting channel by a signal voltage applied to the gate electrode. The superconducting channel is formed of(Pr.sub.w Y.sub.1-w)Ba.sub.2 Cu.sub.3 O.sub.7-z (0<w<1, 0<z<1) oxide superconductororY.sub.1 Ba.sub.2 Cu.sub.3-v CO.sub.V O.sub.7-u (0<v<3, 0<u<1) oxide superconductor.These oxide superconductors have smaller carrier densities than the conventional oxide superconductor so that the superconducting channel has a larger thickness than the one funned of the conventional oxide superconductor.

Abstract: A high critical temperature superconducting Josephson device includes a bicrystal substrate formed of a first single crystal substrate and a second single crystal substrate, with end faces of the first and second single crystal substrates having different crystal orientations and being joined to each other. A first superconducting electrode formed of a first film of a high critical temperature superconductor material is located on the first single crystal substrate, whereas a second superconducting electrode formed of a second film of a high critical temperature superconductor material is located on the second single crystal substrate. A bridge is formed of a third film of a high critical temperature superconductor material and located on the bicrystal substrate across a joint between said first and said second single crystal substrates.

Abstract: A superconductor device which includes a first wiring part and a second wiring part which together form a superconductive wiring. The first wiring part is arranged onto a substrate and is made of a superconductor material. The second wiring part is made of a non-oxide semiconductor material. The second wiring part is adjacent to the first wiring part and jointly forms a superconductive wiring with the first wiring part by becoming at least partly superconductive due to proximity effect with the first wiring part. The second wiring part has a smaller penetration length of magnetic field than that for the first wiring part. This structure enhances the propagation velocity of a signal within the superconductive wiring.

Abstract: An apparatus and method for producing electricity from heat. The present invention is a thermoelectric generator that uses materials with substantially no electrical resistance, often called superconductors, to efficiently convert heat into electrical energy without resistive losses. Preferably, an array of superconducting elements is encased within a second material with a high thermal conductivity. The second material is preferably a semiconductor. Alternatively, the superconducting material can be doped on a base semiconducting material, or the superconducting material and the semiconducting material can exist as alternating, interleaved layers of waferlike materials. A temperature gradient imposed across the boundary of the two materials establishes an electrical potential related to the magnitude of the temperature gradient. The superconducting material carries the resulting electrical current at zero resistivity, thereby eliminating resistive losses.

Abstract: This invention relates to multilayered superconductive composites, particularly to composites based on thallium-containing superconducting oxides, and their process of manufacture.

Abstract: A superconducting device includes a substrate, a projecting insulating region formed in a principal surface of the substrate, and a first thin film portion of an oxide superconductor formed on the projecting insulating region. Second and third thin film portions of an oxide superconductor are positioned at opposite sides of the projecting insulating region to be continuous to the first thin film portion, respectively, so that a superconducting current can flow through the first thin film portion between the second thin film portion and the third thin film portion. The second thin film portion and the third thin film portion has a thickness larger than that of the first thin film portion. The projecting insulating region is formed of an oxide which is composed of the same constituent elements of the oxide superconductor but which has the oxygen content smaller than that of said oxide superconductor.

Abstract: A substrate having a superconducting thin film of compound oxide thereon. An intermediate layer consists of at least one layer of copper-containing oxide is interposed between the substrate and the superconducting thin film.

Abstract: A superconducting device includes first and second oxide superconducting regions of a relatively thick thickness, formed directly on a principal surface of a substrate to be separate from each other, and a third oxide superconducting region of an extremely thin thickness which is formed directly on the principal surface of the substrate so as to bridge the first and second oxide superconducting regions. A barrier layer and a diffusion source layer are formed on the third oxide superconducting region, and an isolation region is formed to cover an upper portion or both side surfaces of the diffusion source layer. The first, second and third oxide superconducting regions and the isolation region are formed of the same oxide superconductor material, and the isolation region is diffused with a material of the diffusion source layer, so that the isolation region does not show superconductivity.

Abstract: An epitaxial structure comprising a silicon containing substrate and a high T.sub.c copper-oxide-based superconducting layer, which may include an intermediate layer between the silicon substrate and the superconductor layer. Epitaxial deposition is accomplished by depositing a superconductor on a (001) surface of silicon in a manner in which the unit cell of the superconductor layer has two out of three of its crystallographic axes rotated 45 degrees with respect to the corresponding axes of the silicon unit cell, the remaining axis of the superconductor unit cell being normal to the Si (001) surface.

Abstract: A superconducting thin film formed on a semiconductor substrate, which comprises at least one superconducting region formed of an oxide superconductor on the principal surface of the semiconductor substrate and at least one isolation region formed of an oxide insulator including component atoms of the oxide superconductor, which surrounds the superconducting region, and the superconductor thin film has a planar upper surface.

Abstract: In accordance this invention, there is provided a process for making a bulk superconductive material. In the first step of this process, a diffusion couple is formed from superconductor oxide and impurity oxide. Thereafter, the diffusion couple is heated to a temperature in excess of 800 degrees Centigrade, cooled at a controlled rate, and annealed.

Abstract: A method for activating superconducting material comprises generating a species of oxygen ions, heating the material and introducing the oxygen ions to said material by the application of a low-gradient drift field between the source of oxygen ions and a substrate including the superconducting material.

Abstract: A thin film of oxide superconductor consisting of more than two portions (10, 11, 12) each possessing a predetermined crystal orientation and deposited on a common surface of a substrate (2). At least one selected portion (10) of the thin film of oxide superconductor is deposited on a thin under-layer (4, 100) which facilitates crystal growth of the selected portion and which is deposited previously on the substrate. The selected portions (10) may consist of a-axis oriented thin film portions while non-selected portions (11, 12) may consists of c-axis oriented thin film portions. The thin under-layer can be a buffer layer (4) or a very thin film (100) of oxide superconductor.

Abstract: Superconductized electronic devices, such as a Josephson junction device, or superconductized optical devices represented by a light emitting and receiving devices of semiconductor laser are available using semiconductor materials which normally have no superconducting characteristics. The devices can operate by controlling the behavior of a Cooper pair in an active region which is formed in the semiconductor in advance using the penetrating phenomenon of the Cooper pair caused in the semiconductor proximate to the superconductor.

Abstract: For manufacturing a superconducting device, a first oxide superconductor thin film having a very thin thickness is formed on a principal surface of a substrate, and a stacked structure of a gate insulator and a gate electrode is formed on a portion of the first oxide superconductor thin film. A second oxide superconductor thin film is grown on an exposed surface of the first oxide superconductor thin film, using the gate electrode as a mask, so that first and second superconducting regions having a relatively thick thickness are formed at opposite sides of the gate electrode, electrically isolated from the gate electrode. A source electrode and a drain electrode are formed on the first and second oxide superconducting regions. The superconducting device thus formed can function as a super-FET.

Abstract: A method of manufacturing a single crystal of a superconductive oxide by a travelling solvent floating zone method (TSFZ Method). In this manufacturing method, a sintered feed rod of an oxide belonging to a tetragonal system, exhibiting anisotropic properties and superconductive properties and having a stoichiometric composition of the superconductive oxide is melted into a layer of a solvent mainly consisting of a oxidized copper and arranged in an infrared heating furnace under an oxygen pressure thereby growing a large single crystal of the superconductive oxide which is 5 mm or over in diameter and 40 mm or over in length.The superconductive oxide is one selected from the group consisting of La.sub.2-x A.sub.x CuO.sub.4 (A:Sr,Ba), Nd.sub.2-x Ce.sub.x CuO.sub.4, YBa.sub.2 Cu.sub.3 O.sub.7-x, BiSrCaCu.sub.2 O.sub.x, Tl.sub.2 Ba.sub.2 Ca.sub.2 Cu.sub.3 O.sub.

Abstract: A superconducting thin film formed on a substrate, comprising an a-axis orientated oxide superconductor layer, a c-axis orientated oxide superconductor layer and an oxide semiconductor layer inserted between the a-axis orientated oxide superconductor layer and the c-axis orientated oxide superconductor layer, in contact with them in which superconducting current can flow between the a-axis orientated oxide superconductor layer and the c-axis orientated oxide superconductor layer through the oxide semiconductor layer by a long-range proximity effect.

Abstract: A thin film of oxide superconductor deposited on a single crystal substrate of silicon wafer. A buffer layer of (100) or (110) oriented Ln.sub.2 O.sub.3, in which Ln stands for Y or lanthanide elements is interposed between the thin film of oxide superconductor and the silicon wafer. A surface of silicon wafer is preferably cleaned satisfactorily by heat-treatment in vacuum before the buffer layer is deposited. An under-layer of metal oxide; ZrO.sub.2, YSZ or metal Y, Er is preferably interposed between the Ln.sub.2 O.sub.3 buffer layer and the silicon wafer.

Abstract: A superconducting device comprising a substrate having a principal surface, a non-superconducting oxide layer having a similar crystal structure to that of the oxide superconductor, an extremely thin superconducting channel formed of a c-axis oriented oxide superconductor thin film on the non-superconducting oxide layer, a superconducting source region and a superconducting drain region formed of an a-axis oriented oxide superconductor thin film at the both sides of the superconducting channel separated from each other, which are electrically connected each other by the superconducting channel, so that superconducting current can flow through the superconducting channel between the superconducting source region and the superconducting drain region, and a gate electrode of a material which includes silicon through a gate insulator on the superconducting channel for controlling the superconducting current flowing through the superconducting channel, in which the gate electrode is embedded between the supercondu

Abstract: A semiconductor substrate having a silicon substrate and a superconducting thin film layer composed of compound oxide such as Ln.sub.1 Ba.sub.2 Cu.sub.3 O.sub.7-.delta. (Ln is lanthanide) and stratified on the silicon substrate, characterized in that an intermediate semiconductor layer composed of compound semiconductor material such as GaAs is interposed between the silicon substrate and the superconducting thin film layer.

Abstract: An HTSC material epitaxially deposited on a YSZ buffer layer on a surface of a monocrystalline silicon substrate has a zero resistance transition temperature of at least 85.degree. K., a transition width (10-90%) of no more than 1.0.degree. K., a resistivity at 300.degree. K. of no more than 300 micro-ohms-centimeter and a resistivity ratio (at 300.degree. K./100.degree. K.) of 3.0.+-. 0.2. The surface of the silicon substrate is cleaned using a spin-etch process to produce an atomically clean surface terminated with an atomic layer of an element such as hydrogen with does not react with silicon. The substrate can be moved to a deposition chamber without contamination. The hydrogen is evaporated in the chamber, and then YSZ is epitaxially deposited preferably by laser ablation. Thereafter, the HTSC material, such as YBCO, is epitaxially deposited preferably by laser ablation. The structure is then cooled in an atmosphere of oxygen.

Abstract: An article of manufacture having an epitaxial (111) magnesium oxide (MgO) layer, suitable for use as a buffer layer, on a (111) surface of a tetrahedral semiconductor substrate, and method for its manufacture is described. The article may further include an epitaxial oxide overlayer on the (111) MgO layer. The overlayer may be a conducting, superconducting, and/or ferroelectric oxide layer. The method of producing the epitaxial (111) magnesium oxide (MgO) layer on the (111) surface of a tetrahedral semiconductor substrate proceeds at low temperature. The method may further include steps for forming the epitaxial oxide layer on the (111) MgO layer. The methods include the steps of preparing the (111) surface of a tetrahedral semiconductor substrate for deposition and the low temperature depositing of an MgO layer on the prepared surface. Further steps may include the depositing of the oxide layer over the MgO layer.