Abstract: An oxide superconducting layer is formed on a base material of silver, whose single side is coated with MgO, or single-crystalline MgO for depositing a Bi.sub.2 Sr.sub.2 Ca.sub.2 Cu.sub.3 phase in a crystallographically oriented state by sputtering, CVD or laser ablation. Metal lead or lead oxide is then laid thereon by sputtering to obtain a two-layer structure, and the two-layer structure is heat treated in the atmospheric air. Thus, a bismuth oxide superconducting film, which is excellent in crystal orientation as well as denseness and thereby having high critical current density, is formed on the base material.

Abstract: An oxide superconductive wire is provided by, for example, forming an oxide superconductive layer on a tape-type flexible base. A preliminary compressive strain is applied to the oxide superconductive layer in the longitudinal direction. The remaining strain can be provided by using a base having thermal expansion coefficient larger than that of the oxide superconductive layer and by cooling the same after heat treatment, due to contraction of the base. Since the preliminary compressive strain is applied to the oxide superconductive layer, degradation of superconductivity of the oxide superconductive layer can be suppressed even if the oxide superconductive wire is bent in any direction, compared with the wire without such strain. Therefore, the oxide superconductive wire can be coiled, for example, without much degrading the superconductivity.

Abstract: In order to enable formation of a smooth and dense oxide superconducting film with no clear appearance of grain boundaries in a fine structure even at a high film forming rate, a laser ablation method is employed to apply a laser beam 2 to a target 1 containing components of an oxide superconductive material and deposit particles, which are thus scattered from the target 1, on a substrate 3, while gaseous oxygen is supplied from a gaseous oxygen inlet 7 toward laser plume 6, which is generated by the application of the laser beam 2, and to a portion of the target irradiated with said laser.

Abstract: A method of manufacturing a superconducting ceramics elongated body by forming a longitudinally continuous superconducting layer on at least a part of the surface of a flexible ceramics elongated substrate by evaporation under the presence of oxygen ions.

Abstract: A method of forming a superconducting circuit comprises the steps of preparing a ceramics body which is changed from a non-superconductive phase not superconducting at the working temperature into a superconducting phase superconducting at the working temperature by heat treatment and performing the heat treatment on a part of the ceramics body by applying a laser beam to the ceramics body to change the same into the superconductive phase, thereby to form a superconducting circuit consisting of the superconductive phase and the non-superconductive phase on the ceramics body.

Abstract: A superconducting ceramics elongated body comprising a flexible ceramics elongated substrate and an oxide ceramics superconducting layer formed at least on a part of the surface of the ceramics elongated substrate to longitudinally extend along the ceramics elongated substrate. The superconducting ceramics elongated body further comprises a protective layer of ceramics containing a nitride, which is provided to at least cover the surface of the superconducting layer exposed on the ceramics elongated substrate. A method of manufacturing a superconducting ceramics elongated body by forming a longitudinally continuous superconducting layer on at least a part of the surface of a flexible ceramics elongated substrate. The superconducting layer is formed on the elongated substrate by a sol-gel method, a coating/sintering method, evaporation under oxygen ions, deposition from a fluoride solution or oxidation after application of corresponding fluorides.

Abstract: In order to enable formation of a smooth and dense oxide superconducting film with no clear appearance of grain boundaries in a fine structure even at a high film forming rate, a laser ablation method is employed to apply a laser beam 2 to a target 1 containing components of an oxide superconductive material and deposit particles, which are thus scattered from the target 1, on a substrate 3, while gaseous oxygen is supplied from a gaseous oxygen inlet 7 toward laser plasma 6, which is generated by the application of the laser beam 2.

Abstract: An improvement in a process for manufacturing a superconductor, characterized by irradiating a material composed of compound oxide by one of ion beams selected from oxygen ion beam, inert gas ion beams and an ion beam consisting of a mixture of oxygen gas and inert gas to convert said material into a superconductor. When a focused ion beam is directed onto desired areas on said film layer, the areas irradiated by the ion beam are converted to a superconductor in a form of a superconducting circuit.

Abstract: A laminated ceramic superconductor which comprises at least two layers of ceramic superconductor and a stabilizing metal layer interposed between said ceramic superconductor layers, which has improved flexibility and increased critical current density.

Abstract: A superconducting wire comprises a flexible base material having average surface roughness of not more than 0.05 .mu.m and an oxide superconducting layer formed on the base material.A superconducting wire comprises a flexible base material of yttria stabilized zirconia containing less than 0.1 percent by weight of an Al impurity and an oxide superconducting layer formed on the base material.

Abstract: When an oxide superconducting thin film is formed on a substrate by a vapor phase method such as laser ablation, for example, a plurality of grooves are formed on the substrate by photolithography or beam application in the same direction with an average groove-to-groove pitch of not more than 10 .mu.m, so that the oxide superconducting thin film is formed on a surface provided with such a plurality of grooves. Thus promoted is growth of crystals of the oxide superconducting thin film in parallel with the grooves, whereby respective directions of a-axes and c-axes are regulated to some extent. This improves critical current density of the oxide superconducting thin film.

Abstract: A superconducting ceramics elongated body comprising a flexible ceramics elongated substrate and an oxide ceramics superconducting layer formed at least on a part of the surface of the ceramics elongated substrate to longitudinally extend along the ceramics elongated substrate. The superconducting ceramics elongated body further comprises a protective layer of ceramics containing a nitride, which is provided to at least cover the surface of the superconducting layer exposed on the ceramics elongated substrate. A method of manufacturing a superconducting ceramics elongated body by forming a longitudinally continuous superconducting layer on at least a part of the surface of a flexible ceramics elongated substrate. The superconducting layer is formed on the elongated substrate by a sol-gel method, a coating/sintering method, evaporation under oxygen ions, deposition from a fluoride solution or oxidation after application of corresponding fluorides.

Abstract: A thin film of an oxide superconductor having a homogeneous composition and less oxygen defects is produced by independently vaporizing at least one material selected from the group consisting of the elements of Ia, IIa and IIIa groups of the periodic table and their compounds and at least one material selected from the group consisting of the elements of Ib, IIb and IIIb groups of the periodic table and their compounds in the presence of molecular oxygen and depositing the vaporized materials together with oxygen on a substrate to form a thin film of the oxide superconductor.

Abstract: A thin film of an oxide superconductor having a homogeneous composition and less oxygen defects is produced by independently vaporizing onto a substrate at least one material selected from the group consisting of the elements of Ia, IIa and IIIa groups of the periodic table and their compounds and one material selected from the group consisting of Cu and its compounds and irradiating the substrate with oxygen ions and depositing the vaporized materials together with oxygen on the substrate to form the thin film of the oxide superconductor.

Abstract: A method of producing a superconducting circuit by forming a film having a superconducting phase on a substrate and applying a laser beam to a part of the superconducting phase to cause transition of the part of the superconducting phase into a non-superconducting phase.