Neutron-induced microwave loss in ceramic YBa2Cu 3O7-δ

Authors

D. W. Cooke, Los Alamos National Laboratory
M. S. Jahan, Los Alamos National LaboratoryFollow
R. D. Brown, Los Alamos National Laboratory
K. C. Ott, Los Alamos National Laboratory
E. R. Gray, Los Alamos National Laboratory
J. L. Smith, Los Alamos National Laboratory
J. O. Willis, Los Alamos National Laboratory
B. L. Bennett, Los Alamos National LaboratoryFollow

Abstract

An increase by over three orders of magnitude from 0.58 mΩ to 1.17 Ω was observed at 4.0 K in the 3 GHz microwave surface resistance of ceramic YBa2Cu3O7-δ following exposure to neutrons. The transport resistivity of an unirradiated pellet was linear in temperature down to Tc with a room-temperature value of 2.13 mΩ cm and a resistivity extrapolated to 4.0 K of 0.53 mΩ cm. Following irradiation, the resistivity rose with decreasing temperature from a room-temperature value of 1.5 Ω cm to a maximum at around 45 K with little change evident at Tc. These results, in conjunction with eddy current, susceptibility, iodometric titration, and thermally stimulated luminescence measurements on irradiated and unirradiated samples, collectively suggest that the effect of neutron irradiation has been to decrease intergranular coupling without the development of an insulating phase.

Publication Title

Applied Physics Letters

Recommended Citation

Cooke, D., Jahan, M., Brown, R., Ott, K., Gray, E., Smith, J., Willis, J., & Bennett, B. (1990). Neutron-induced microwave loss in ceramic YBa2Cu 3O7-δ. Applied Physics Letters, 56 (24), 2462-2464. https://doi.org/10.1063/1.103256