Abstract: Superconducting composite materials having particles of superconducting material disposed in a metal matrix material with a high electron-boson coupling coefficient (&lgr;). The superconducting particles can comprise any type of superconductor including Laves phase materials, Chevrel phase materials, A15 compounds, and perovskite cuprate ceramics. The particles preferably have dimensions of about 10-500 nanometers. The particles preferably have dimensions larger than the superconducting coherence length of the superconducting material. The metal matrix material has a &lgr; greater than 0.2, preferably the &lgr; is much higher than 0.2. The metal matrix material is a good proximity superconductor due to its high &lgr;. When cooled, the superconductor particles cause the metal matrix material to become superconducting due to the proximity effect. In cases where the particles and the metal matrix material are chemically incompatible (i.e.

Abstract: According to one aspect of the invention a method is provided for forming a superconductor composite. A salt is heated to a melting temperature of the salt. Superconductor particles are added to the salt. A metal composition is added to the salt. The metal composition is decomposed into a metal substance and another substance. The metal substance plates out onto surfaces of the superconductor particles to form metal plated particles. The metal plated superconductor particles are removed from the salt.

Abstract: A method and apparatus for measuring the physical characteristics of reflective or transparent surfaces may be used to detect particulates, measure surface roughness, and reconstruct surface images and detect defects in regular patterns on both smooth and rough surfaces. The method is based on, and takes advantage of, the fact that high frequency spatial Fourier components are formed when a Gaussian profile beam interacts with an irregular, or otherwise inhomogeneous, surface. Through the measurement of these non-Gaussian components of the reflected beam, information about the sample surface may be obtained.

Abstract: A composite superconducting material made of coated particles of ceramic superconducting material and a metal matrix material. The metal matrix material fills the regions between the coated particles. The coating material is a material that is chemically nonreactive with the ceramic. Preferably, it is silver. The coating serves to chemically insulate the ceramic from the metal matrix material. The metal matrix material is a metal that is susceptible to the superconducting proximity effect. Preferably, it is a NbTi alloy. The metal matrix material is induced to become superconducting by the superconducting proximity effect when the temperature of the material goes below the critical temperature of the ceramic. The material has the improved mechanical properties of the metal matrix material. Preferably, the material consists of approximately 10% NbTi, 90% coated ceramic particles (by volume). Certain aspects of the material and method will depend upon the particular ceramic superconductor employed.

Abstract: Physical properties such as composition, purity, or doping level of a sample surface can be measured and imaged using the apparatus and method disclosed herein. Imaging is performed by the following steps:1) illuminating the sample surface with uniform, monochromatic light and capturing a first image of the reflected light with a CCD camera,2) uniformly and precisely changing a physical parameter of the sample,3) repeating step 1 to capture a second image influenced by the new value of the physical parameter,4) subtracting the first and second images and dividing the result by the average of the images to produce a normalized difference image.The physical parameter may be temperature, as in the preferred embodiment, electric field, light exposure (at a wavelength different from that used to obtain the image), magnetic field, or mechanical stress. The image produced is of the differential reflectance of the sample surface at a given wavelength.

Abstract: A non-linear superconducting junction device comprising a layer of high transient temperature superconducting material which is superconducting at an operating temperature, a layer of metal in contact with the layer of high temperature superconducting material and which remains non-superconducting at the operating temperature, and a metal material which is superconducting at the operating temperature and which forms distributed Sharvin point contacts with the metal layer.