Adjustment of the electric current in pulsar magnetospheres and origin of subpulse modulation

The subpulse modulation of pulsar radio emission goes to prove that the plasma flow in the open field line tube breaks into isolated narrow streams. I propose a model which attributes formation of streams to the process of the electric current adjustment in the magnetosphere. A mismatch between the magnetospheric current distribution and the current injected by the polar cap accelerator gives rise to reverse plasma flows in the magnetosphere. The reverse flow shields the electric field in the polar gap and thus shuts up the plasma production process. I assume that a circulating system of streams is formed such that the upward streams are produced in narrow gaps separated by downward streams. The electric drift is small in this model because the potential drop in narrow gaps is small. The gaps have to drift because by the time a downward stream reaches the star surface and shields the electric field, the corresponding gap has to shift. The transverse size of the streams is determined by the condition that the potential drop in the gaps is sufficient for the pair production. This yields the radius of the stream roughly 10% of the polar cap radius, which makes it possible to fit in the observed morphological features such as the "carousel" with 10-20 subbeams and the system of the core - two nested cone beams.Comment: 8 pages, 1 figur

The use of BaF sub 2 buffer layers for the sputter-deposition of TlCaBaCuO thin-film superconductors

Thin films of the Tl-based superconductors often have relatively poor properties because of film/substrate interdiffusion which occurs during the anneal. We have therefore investigated the use of BaF{sub 2} as a diffusion barrier. TlCaBaCuO thin films were deposited by dc magnetron sputtering onto MgO <100> substrates, both with and without an evaporation-deposited BaF{sub 2} buffer layer, and post-annealed in a Tl over-pressure. Electrical properties of the films were determined by four-point probe analysis, and compositions were measured by ion-backscattering spectroscopy. Structural analysis was performed by x-ray diffraction and scanning electron microscopy. The BaF{sub 2} buffer layers were found to significantly improve the properties of the TlCaBaCuO thin films. 8 refs., 3 figs

Microwave characterization of high-temperature superconductors

Thick (10-15 {mu}m) Tl-Ba-Ca-Cu-O films have been deposited onto yttria-stabilized zirconia and Ag substrates by d.c. magnetron sputtering techniques. Direct deposition onto 1'' diameter yttria-stabilized zirconia yields films with typical 22 GHz surface resistance (R{sub s}) values of 5.2 {plus minus} 2 m{Omega} and 52 {plus minus} 2 m{Omega} at 10 K and 77 K, respectively. For comparison, R{sub s} of Cu at this same frequency is 10 m{Omega} at 4 K and 22 m{Omega} at 77 K. Tl-Ba-Ca-Cu-O films have also been deposited onto 1'' diameter Ag substrates using Au/Cu, Cu, and BaF{sub 2} buffer layers. The lowest R{sub s} values were obtained on films with a BaF{sub 2} buffer layer, typical values being 7.8 {plus minus} 2 m{Omega} and 30.6 {plus minus} 2 m{Omega} (measured at 22 GHz) at 10 K and 77 K, respectively. Larger films (1.5'' diameter) with similar R{sub s} values were prepared using this same technique, demonstrating that the fabrication process can be scaled to larger surface areas. These films are promising for radiofrequency cavity applications because they are thick (50-75 times the London penetration depth), have relatively large surface areas, are fabricated on metallic substrates, and have R{sub s} values that are competitive with Cu at 77 K and are lower than Cu at 4 K. Because they are polycrystalline and unoriented, it is anticipated that their R{sub s} values can be lowered by improving the processing technique. High-quality films of YBa{sub 2}Cu{sub 3}O{sub 7} have been electron-beam deposited onto 1'' LaGaO{sub 3} and 1.5'' LaAlO{sub 3} substrates. The 1'' sample is characterized by R{sub s} values of 0.2 {plus minus} 0.1 m{Omega} at 4 K and 18.6 {plus minus} 2 m{Omega} at 77 K. The 4-K value is only 2-4 times higher than Nb. The 1.5'' sample has R{sub s} values (measured at 18 GHz) of 0.93 {plus minus} 2 m{Omega} and 71 {plus minus} 3 m{Omega} at 10 K and 77 K, respectively. 18 refs., 8 figs