Abstract: Under one aspect, a method of making a superconductor wire includes providing an oxide superconductor layer overlaying a substrate; forming a substantially continuous barrier layer over the oxide superconductor layer, the barrier layer including metal; depositing a layer of metal particles over the barrier layer, said depositing including applying a liquid including metal particles over the barrier layer; and sintering the layer of metal particles to form a substantially continuous metal layer over the barrier layer. In one or more embodiments, the oxide superconductor layer is oxygen-deficient, and the method may include oxidizing the oxygen-deficient oxide superconductor layer. At least a portion of the sintering and the oxidizing may occur simultaneously, for example by performing them at an oxygen partial pressure and a temperature sufficient to both sinter the metal particles and to oxidize the oxygen-deficient oxide superconductor layer.

Abstract: A method of making a laminated superconductor wire includes providing an assembly, where the assembly includes a substrate; a superconductor layer overlaying a surface of the substrate, the superconductor layer having a defined pattern; and a cap layer; and slitting the assembly in accordance with the defined pattern of the superconductor layer to form a sealed wire. Slitting the assembly in accordance with the defined pattern may form multiple sealed wires, and the substrate may be substantially wider than the sealed wires.

Abstract: To provide an oxide superconductor thick film formation method that can enhance adhesiveness of a Bi2223 thick film to a body to be processed on which the Bi2223 thick film is formed, and increase a cross-sectional area of the Bi2223 thick film, without a decrease in Jc of the Bi2223 thick film. A mixture of a compound oxide having composition Bi2212 and Pb is applied to a surface of the body to be processed, and burned to form a first thick film. An oxide superconductor thick film expressed by a general formula (Bi, Pb)2+aSr2Ca2Cu3OZ (where ?0.1?a?0.5) is formed on the first thick film.

Abstract: To provide a composition for a thick oxide superconducting film containing a copper salt of a branched saturated aliphatic carboxylic acid having 6 or more carbon atoms and/or a copper salt of an alicyclic carboxylic acid having 6 or more carbon atoms, which is suitable for producing thick copper based oxide superconducting films by the MOD process and which can be subjected to film formation with uniformity at a high speed, and an oxide superconductor in the form of a thick film tape which is subjected to film formation with uniformity at a high speed using the subject composition for a thick oxide superconducting film.

Abstract: One aspect of this disclosure relates to a method of building a superconductor device on a substrate, comprising depositing an imprint layer on at least a portion of the substrate. The imprint layer is imprinted to provide an imprinted portion of the imprint layer and a non-imprinted portion of the imprint layer. A superconductor layer is deposited on at least a portion of the imprinted portion of the imprint layer.

Abstract: A bulk superconductor having a thickness of not less than about 100 microns is carried by a polycrystalline textured substrate having misorientation angles at the surface thereof not greater than about 15°; the bulk superconductor may have a thickness of not less than about 100 microns and a surface area of not less than about 50 cm2. The textured substrate may have a thickness not less than about 10 microns and misorientation angles at the surface thereof not greater than about 15°. Also disclosed is a process of manufacturing the bulk superconductor and the polycrystalline biaxially textured substrate material.

Abstract: A method for producing a superconducting thick film involves the steps of forming a thick layer comprising a superconducting material on a substrate; firing the thick layer formed on the substrate; subjecting the fired thick layer to cold isostatic pressing; and refiring the thick layer subjected to cold isostatic pressing.

Abstract: A novel ceramic substrate useful for the preparation of superconductors, said substrate having the formula Ba.sub.2 DyMO.sub.5.5 where M represents at least one of the metals Zr, Sn and Hf and a process for the preparation of said ceramic substrate, which comprises (i) Reacting salts of dysprosium, barium and Zr, Sn or Hf in an organic medium, (ii) Pressing the resultant mixture in the form of pellets, (iii) Calcining the pellets by heating at a temperature in the range of 1000 to 1200.degree. C., (iv) Repeating the calcination process for 30-45 h at temperature in the range of 1000-1200.degree. C. until a highly homogenous mixture is formed. (v) Grinding the calcined material and pelletising at a pressure in the range of 3 to 4 tons/cm.sup.2, (vi) Sintering the resultant product at a temperature in the range of 1200 to 1600.degree. C. for a period of 10 to 30 h, and then furnace cooled to room temperature.

Abstract: A novel ceramic substrate useful for the preparation of superconducting films, said substrate having the formula REBa.sub.2 MO.sub.6 where RE represents rare earth metals--Ce, Pr, Nd, Sm, Eu, Gd, Tb, Dy, Ho, Er, Tm, Yb, Lu and M represents metals Nb, Sb, Sn, Hf, Zr; and a process for the preparation of superconducting YBa.sub.2 Cu.sub.3 O.sub.7-.delta. thick films on new ceramic substrate.

Abstract: A novel ceramic substrate useful for the preparation of superconducting films, said substrate having the formula REBa.sub.2 MO.sub.6 where RE represents rare earth metals--Ce, Pr, Nd, Sm, Eu, Gd, Tb, Dy, Ho, Er, Tm, Yb, Lu and M represents metals Nb, Sb, Sn, Hf, Zr; and a process for the preparation of superconducting YBa.sub.2 Cu.sub.3 O.sub.7-.delta. thick films on new ceramic substrate.

Abstract: A method is provided for fabrication of superconducting oxides and superconducting oxide composites and for joining superconductors to other materials. A coating of a molten alloy containing the metallic elements of the oxide is applied to a substrate surface and oxidized to form the superconducting oxide. A material can be contacted to the molten alloy which is subsequently oxidized joining the material to the resulting superconducting oxide coating. Substrates of varied composition and shape can be coated or joined by this method.

Abstract: The fabrication of superconducting wires and rods having desired and consistent electrical and mechanical properties, in particular those based on Yttrium Barium Copper Oxide (YBCO) and Bismuth Strontium Calcium Copper Oxide (BSCCO), is disclosed. The first fabrication step is to form an extrudable paste by mixing YBCO or BSCCO superconducting powder with a set of organic additives, which include binder, plasticizer, lubricant, dispersant, and a solvent. The following additional steps are performed on both YBCO and BSCCO based wires or rods: (i) using a piston extruder to extrude the superconducting wire or rod; (ii) drying the wire or rod to remove the solvent; and (iii) subjecting the wire or rod to a binder burn-out treatment to remove the remaining organic additives. In addition, YBCO wires and rods also require a sintering step, while BSCCO wires and rods also require cold isostatic pressing and heat treatment steps.

Abstract: Circuit board devices are provided based on use of high temperature superconducting ceramic polymers comprising high temperature superconducting ceramic powders distributed in electrically insulative organic polymers which are thermosetting by reaction of a two-part liquid mixture or by catalytic or photoinitiation of a one-part liquid. The ceramic domains transmit their superconductivity across the insulating barriers of organic polymers enabling formation of superconductive lines and superconducting bonds to electronic devices to be adhered to circuit boards, and providing superconducting circuitry.

Abstract: A method is disclosed for fabricating a polycrystalline <223> thallium-containing superconductor having high critical current at elevated temperatures and in the presence of a magnetic field. A powder precursor containing compounds other than thallium is compressed on a substrate. Thallium is incorporated in the densified powder precursor at a high temperature in the presence of a partial pressure of a thallium-containing vapor.

Abstract: Disclosed is a process for forming a super-conducting film, which a multi-layer metal film (buffer film) is formed at a specific temperature on a ceramic substrate and a superconducting film is formed at a specific temperature on the multi-layer metal film. According to this process, a superconducting film having a high critical temperature can be formed over the ceramic substrate while controlling or suppressing the occurrence of a chemical reaction between the substrate and the superconducting film, and required superconducting performances can be manifested or exhibited.

Abstract: A method for making metal/ceramic superconductor thick film structures including the steps of preparing a silver/superconductor ink, applying the ink to a substrate, evaporating the ink's binder, decomposing a silver compound in the residue to coat the superconductor grains, sintering the coated superconductor grains, and oxygenating the superconductor grains through the silver coating. The resultant inter-granular silver increases the critical current and mechanical strength of the superconductor.

Abstract: A method for making metal/ceramic superconductor thick film structures including the steps of preparing a silver/superconductor ink, applying the ink to a substrate, evaporating the ink's binder, decomposing a silver compound in the residue to coat the superconductor grains, sintering the coated superconductor grains, and oxygenating the superconductor grains through the silver coating. The resultant inter-granular silver increases the critical current and mechanical strength of the superconductor.

Abstract: In an oxide superconducting film wiring, when the line width is reduced, the evaporation of a component during firing becomes so vigorous that it becomes impossible to form a desired single crystal phase, which causes a significant lowering in the properties of the oxide superconducting wiring. This problem can be solved by preventing the evaporation of the evaporable component during the firing. Examples of this include a process wherein plate is placed above the superconductor forming material film wiring pattern on the substrate so as to face each other, the plate comprising a material having no chemical influence on the superconducting wiring, and a pattern of a material containing an evaporable component is arbitrarily formed, a process wherein a pattern having a smaller line width is sandwiched between patterns having a larger line width, and a process wherein the firing atmosphere or the concentration of the evaporable component in the pattern is varied depending upon the line width.