Abstract: This invention provides a method of making a fluorinated precursor of a superconducting ceramic. The method comprises providing a solution comprising a rare earth salt, an alkaline earth metal salt and a copper salt; spraying the solution onto a substrate to provide a film-covered substrate; and heating the film-covered substrate in an atmosphere containing fluorinated gas to provide the fluorinated precursor.

Abstract: The present invention relates to a superconducting film having a substrate and a superconductor layer formed on the substrate, in which nano grooves are formed parallel to a current flowing direction on a substrate surface on which the superconductor layer is formed and two-dimensional crystal defects are introduced in the superconductor layer on the nano grooves, and a method of manufacturing this superconducting film. A superconducting film of the invention, which is obtained at low cost and has very high Jc, is useful in applications such as cables, magnets, shields, current limiters, microwave devices, and semifinished products of these articles.

Abstract: In a cold gas spraying method, a gas jet (15) into which particles (19) are introduced is generated with the aid of a cold gas spray gun (20). The kinetic energy of the particles (19) results in a layer being formed on a substrate (13). The substrate is provided with a structured texture (24) which is transferred to the layer (20) that is formed. The method makes it advantageously possible to produce a high-temperature superconducting layer on the substrate (13) by selecting an appropriate particle (19) composition. The process can be additionally supported using a heating device (25) in a subsequent thermal treatment step.

Abstract: Disclosed herein is a method of fabricating a high temperature superconducting film in a vacuum chamber through auxiliary cluster beam spraying using an evaporation method, wherein a high temperature superconducting material is deposited on a substrate in a vapor state by evaporating the high temperature superconducting material, and at the same time, a cluster beam material is formed into gas atoms by heating the cluster beam material charged in a housing, and the formed gas atoms pass through a nozzle of an inlet of the housing and then are sprayed and grown on the substrate in the form of the cluster beam, thereby forming pinning centers in the high temperature superconducting film.

Abstract: The present invention relates to a superconducting film having a substrate and a superconductor layer formed on the substrate, in which nano grooves are formed parallel to a current flowing direction on a substrate surface on which the superconductor layer is formed and two-dimensional crystal defects are introduced in the superconductor layer on the nano grooves, and a method of manufacturing this superconducting film. A superconducting film of the invention, which is obtained at low cost and has very high Jc, is useful in applications such as cables, magnets, shields, current limiters, microwave devices, and semifinished products of these articles.

Abstract: The present invention relates to a superconducting film having a substrate and a superconductor layer formed on the substrate, in which nano grooves are formed parallel to a current flowing direction on a substrate surface on which the superconductor layer is formed and two-dimensional crystal defects are introduced in the superconductor layer on the nano grooves, and a method of manufacturing this superconducting film. A superconducting film of the invention, which is obtained at low cost and has very high Jc, is useful in applications such as cables, magnets, shields, current limiters, microwave devices, and semifinished products of these articles.

Abstract: A CVD apparatus capable of substantially simultaneously processing multiple portions of at least one substrate or substantially simultaneously processing portions of multiple substrates or substantially simultaneously processing multiple portions of at least one substrate and portions of multiple substrates, the CVD apparatus is described. The CVD apparatus includes a reactor, at least one substrate heater, at least one precursor supply system, at least one precursor injector, optionally, communicating with at least one temperature regulated manifold, at least one reactants mixer, and, optionally, at least one controller communicating with at least one substrate heater, the at least one precursor supply system, the at least one precursor injector, the at least one temperature regulated manifold, and combinations thereof.

Abstract: This invention provides a method of making a fluorinated precursor of a superconducting ceramic. The method comprises providing a solution comprising a rare earth salt, an alkaline earth metal salt and a copper salt; spraying the solution onto a substrate to provide a film-covered substrate; and heating the film-covered substrate in an atmosphere containing fluorinated gas to provide the fluorinated precursor.

Abstract: A method of coating a substrate for a high temperature superconductor material is disclosed, including loading a substrate into a first deposition chamber, routing the substrate in the first deposition chamber such that the substrate forms a helical winding in the first deposition chamber, and depositing a first buffer layer to overlie the substrate as the substrate translates along the helical winding. The buffer layer has a biaxial crystallographic texture.

Abstract: The present invention is a deposition system for the production of coated substrates that provides a first deposition process that subsequently feeds a second deposition process and where the two deposition processes are occurring concurrently. The consecutive deposition system includes two dynamically isolated deposition chambers. The substrate is helically wrapped about a cooling block within the first deposition chamber such that the tape is exposed to a deposition zone a number of times sufficient to correspond to the desired film thickness. A shielding element may be included in the second deposition chamber to limit the size of the second chamber deposition zone and thus the film thickness of the second coating layer.

Abstract: A superconductor article includes a substrate and a first buffer film disposed on the substrate. The first buffer film has a uniaxial crystal texture characterized (i) texture in a first crystallographic direction that extends out-of-plane of the first buffer film with no significant texture in a second direction that extends in-plane of the first buffer film, or (ii) texture in a first crystallographic direction that extends in-plane of the first buffer film with no significant texture in a second direction that extends out-of-plane of the first buffer film. A second buffer film is disposed on the first buffer film, the second buffer film having a biaxial crystal texture. A superconductor layer can be disposed on the second buffer film. Ion-beam assisted deposition (IBAD) can be used to deposit the second buffer film.

Abstract: A new chemical vapor reaction system is described. Instead of ECR where electrons can move as independent particles without interaction, a mixed cyclotron resonance is a main exciting principal for chemical vapor reaction. In the new proposed resonance, the resonating space is comparatively large so that a material having a high melting point such as diamond can be deposited in the form of a thin film by this inovative method.

Abstract: An apparatus and process for applying a superconductive layer on an elongate substrate that includes moving the elongate substrate through a heating zone, applying a pulsed laser beam against a target, having a length, that is coated with superconductive material wherein particles of superconductive material are separated from the target and strike the elongate substrate with a plasma beam in the heating zone, and oscillating the pulsed laser beam across the target to provide a substantially uniform coating of superconductive material on the elongate substrate.

Abstract: High temperature superconductor composite thin film devices with easily moved Josephson vortices are described having high Tc and good magnetic vortex properties. A preferred composite material was YBCO/CeO2 thin film on a MgO substrate. The superconductor composites were preferably formed by off-axis co-sputtering. A surprising recovery in properties was seen after plasma etching with oxygen.

Abstract: An oxide superconductor article is provided having an oxide superconductor film having a thickness of greater than 0.5 microns disposed on a substrate, said article having a transport critical current density (Jc) of greater than or equal to about 105 A/cm2 at 77 K, zero field. The oxide superconductor film is characterized by high Jc and high volume percent of c-axis epitaxial oxide grains, even with thicknesses of up to 1 micron.

Abstract: An oxide film having a desired pattern is first formed on a magnesia substrate. A superconducting oxide film is then formed on the exposed portion of the magnesia substrate and also on the oxide film. Thus, a tilt-boundary junction is formed in the boundary between the superconducting oxide film portion on the magnesia substrate and the superconducting oxide film portion on the oxide film. The tilt-boundary junction functions as a Josephson junction. By utilizing the Josephson junction in the tilt-boundary junction, a SQUID pattern can be formed on the magnesia substrate to provide a SQUID device.

Abstract: A method for growing a superconductive film, comprising:(a) helically winding a tape substrate around the outer periphery of a cylindrical or columnar holder and(b) growing a superconductive film on the surface of the tape substrate by plasma flash evaporation, while rotating the holder. According to the present invention, the heat contact between the holder and the tape substrate is stabilized and a high performance tape conductor can be obtained. In addition, degradation of superconductive performance possibly experienced, when the tape is used for a transmission cable or the like, can be lessened. Furthermore, the large area growth, which is the characteristic feature of plasma flash evaporation, is effectively utilized and production efficiency of a long tape conductor can be enhanced.

Abstract: Disclosed is method of forming a metal oxide film including the steps of introducing a gas containing a metal compound having at least one element selected from the group consisting of carbon and a halogen element, into a process chamber accommodating a substrate, introducing a gas containing a compound having a hydroxyl group into the process chamber, introducing a gas containing oxygen which has been converted to a plasma state, into the process chamber, and forming the metal oxide film on the substrate using the gas containing a metal compound, the gas containing a compound having a hydroxyl group, and the gas containing oxygen which has been converted to a plasma state.

Abstract: A cold surface is obtained by coating a mat of ceramic particles that are bound together with a sol-gel binder and cooling the surface with a cryogen that wicks to the surface through pores in the mat.

Abstract: A composite material is disclosed which includes a substrate, an oriented film provided on a surface of the substrate and formed of a crystal of a Y123 metal oxide of the formula LnBa.sub.2 Cu.sub.3 O.sub.y wherein Ln stands for Y or an element belonging to the lanthanoid and y is a number of 6-7, and a layer of a Y123 metal oxide of the formula LnBa.sub.2 Cu.sub.3 O.sub.y wherein Ln stands for Y or an element belonging to the lanthanoid and y is a number of 6-7 formed on the oriented film.

Abstract: A method of preparing a superconducting oxide by combining the metallic elements of the oxide to form an alloy, followed by oxidation of the alloy to form the oxide. Superconducting oxide-metal composites are prepared in which a noble metal phase intimately mixed with the oxide phase results in improved mechanical properties. The superconducting oxides and oxide-metal composites are provided in a variety of useful forms.

Abstract: The generation of a reaction product is suppressed between a metallic substrate and plasma in depositing a ceramic intermediate layer on the metallic substrate in a process for depositing an oxide film on the metallic substrate by thermal plasma flash evaporation method. Thus, there is no reaction phase in the ceramic intermediate layer and the metallic substrate, and an intermediated buffer layer of only oxide ceramic is deposited on a flat surface of the metallic substrate. The intermediate ceramic layer is deposited in inert atmosphere of a low oxygen concentration at a temperature of less than 600.degree. C. for the metallic substrate. Then, a superconducting thin film is deposited on the ceramic intermediate layer.

Abstract: A method is provided for forming thin films, such as high temperature superconductors, on a surface of a substrate using pulsed microwaves to control substrate temperature. The method includes vaporizing a liquid source to form a series of vapor pulses, irradiating the vapor pulses and a makeup gas with pulsed microwaves, and exposing the surface of the substrate to the irradiated mixture to form a thin film on the surface. The microwaves may be pulsed to coincide with the arrival of the vapor pulses at the substrate, thus reducing the amount of material consumed and the amount of waste. Further, the plasma may be closely confined to the substrate with a dielectric waveguide to reduce the power required for irradiating the mixture and to prevent the formation of stray deposits on surfaces enclosing the substrate.

Abstract: A method for manufacturing an oxide superconductor thin film is disclosed, which comprises the steps of: (1) preparing a substrate; depositing an oxide superconductor thin film on said substrate by directing a beam containing constituent elements of an oxide superconductor to said substrate; and supplying excited oxygen to or near a thin film deposition site on said substrate during the deposition of said thin film, wherein said beam is selected from the group consisting of an ion beam, neutral particle beam, molecular beam, cluster beam and cluster ion beam, and wherein said excited oxygen is produced by means of generating discharge in an oxygen gas or oxygen-containing gas or by irradiating an oxygen gas or oxygen-containing gas with a beam.

Abstract: An atmospheric process for the production of a coating of film upon a nickel-containing substrate. In the first step of this process, an aerosol mist containing reactants necessary to form the coating is provided. Thereafter, the mist is subjected to radio-frequency radiation while in the plasma region. Thereafter, the vaporized mixture is then deposited onto a nickel substrate. In subsequent steps, one or more other layers of vaporized material may be deposited onto the coated substrate.

Abstract: In a process for preparing a thin film of oxide superconductor having a layered crystal structure by depositing each layer of said layered crystal structure on a substrate by Molecular Beam Epitaxy (MBE) method with introducing oxygen-containing gas which is excited by irradiation of microwave, improvement in that a film-forming operation by the MBE method is interrupted temporarily after predetermined numbers of constituent layers which correspond to one unit crystal or less than one unit crystal are layered so that the deposited constituent layers are left in an activated oxygen atmosphere to effect a crystallization promotive operation, before the next film-forming operation is restarted.

Abstract: A method of forming a Bi system copper oxide superconducting thin film of Bi.sub.2 Sr.sub.2 Ca.sub.n-1 Cu.sub.n O.sub.x (n.gtoreq.2) including at least the equivalent of a pair of a full CuO molecular layer and a full CaO molecular layer, by a layer-by-layer process (an atomic layer piling process) using MBE. In accordance with the method, the CuO and CaO needed for the film are deposited in a pile by alternately depositing CuO in an amount equal to a 1/m portion of a full CuO molecular layer and CaO in an amount equal to a 1/ m portion of a full CaO molecular layer in a manner similar to that used for superlattice structure formation. The alternate deposition of CuO and CaO layer portions is repeated m times where m is an integral number of not less than n.