Self-organized current transport through low angle grain boundaries in YBa2_2Cu3_3O7−δ_{7-\delta} thin films, studied magnetometrically

The critical current density flowing across low angle grain boundaries in YBa$_2$Cu$_3$O$_{7-\delta}$ thin films has been studied magnetometrically. Films (200 nm thickness) were deposited on SrTiO$_3$ bicrystal substrates containing a single [001] tilt boundary, with angles of 2, 3, 5, and 7 degrees, and the films were patterned into rings. Their magnetic moments were measured in applied magnetic fields up to 30 kOe at temperatures of 5 - 95 K; current densities of rings with or without grain boundaries were obtained from a modified critical state model. For rings containing 5 and 7 degree boundaries, the magnetic response depends strongly on the field history, which arises in large part from self-field effects acting on the grain boundary.Comment: 8 pages, including 7 figure

A possible cooling effect in high temperature superconductors

We show that an adiabatic increase of the supercurrent along a superconductor with lines of nodes of the order parameter on the Fermi surface can result in a cooling effect. The maximum cooling occurs if the supercurrent increases up to its critical value. The effect can also be observed in a mixed state of a bulk sample. An estimate of the energy dissipation shows that substantial cooling can be performed during a reasonable time even in the microkelvin regime.Comment: 5 pages, to appear in Phys. Rev.

Influence of a low magnetic field on the thermal diffusivity of Bi-2212

The thermal diffusivity of a Bi-2212 polycrystalline sample has been measured under a 1T magnetic field applied perpendicularly to the heat flux. The magnetic contribution to the heat carrier mean free path has been extracted and is found to behave as a simple power law. This behavior can be attributed to a percolation process of electrons in the vortex lattice created by the magnetic field.Comment: 10 pages, 3 figures; to be published in Phys. Rev.

Summary report on four foot septifoil cooling experiment

Cooling parameters for some of the SRS reactor internal components are computed using the Transient Reactor Analysis Code, TRAC.'' In order to benchmark the code, the Safety Analysis Group of SRL requested an experiment to provide measurements of cooling parameters in a well defined physical system utilizing SRS reactor component(s). The experiment selected included a short length of septifoil with both top and bottom fittings containing five simulated control rods in an unseated'' configuration. Power level to be supplied to the rods was targeted at 2.5 kilowatts per foot. The septifoil segment was to be operated with no forced flow in order to evaluate thermal-hydraulic cooling. Parameters to be measured for comparison with code predictions were basic cooling phenomena, incidence of film boiling, thermal-hydraulic flow rate, pressure rise, and ratio of heat transfer through the wall of the assembly vs heat transfer to axial water flow through the assembly. Experimental apparatus was designed and assembled incorporating five simulated control rods four feet long, joule heated inside a five foot length of type Q'' septifoil. Water at 70 C was fed independently to the bottom inlet and along the outside of the septifoil. Water flowing along the outside of the septifoil was in confined flow and provided calorimetry to measure power flow through the septifoil housing. A shadowgraph technique was developed and used to monitor unforced flow of water pumped thermal-hydraulically through the septifoil. Electrical power of 10,000 to 70,000 watts was fed to the simulated rods from a dc power supply. Computer data acquisition was accomplished using LabView'' software programmed to match the configuration of the experiment along with scanning digital voltmeters and requisite signal sensors. Video camcorders were used to provide video records of six areas of the experiment