Samples of series Bi1.6Pb0.4Sr2Ca2Cu3-xZnxO10 with x = 0.0, 0.015, 0.03,
0.06, 0.09 and 0.12 are synthesized by solid-state reaction route. All the
samples crystallize in tetragonal structure with majority (> 90%) of Bi-2223
(Bi2Sr2Ca2Cu3O10) phase (c-lattice parameter ~ 36 A0). The proportion of
Bi-2223 phase decreases slightly with an increase in x. The lattice parameters
a and c of main phase (Bi-2223) do not change significantly with increasing x.
Superconducting critical transition temperature (Tc) decreases with x as
evidenced by both resistivity [(T)] and AC magnetic susceptibility [(T)]
measurements. Interestingly the decrement of Tc is not monotonic and the same
saturates at around 96 K for x > 0.06. In fact Tc decreases fast (~10K/at%) for
x = 0.015 and 0.03 samples and later nearly saturates for higher x values.
Present results of Zn doping in Bi-2223 system are compared with Zn doped other
HTSC (High temperature superconducting) systems, namely the RE-123 (REBa2Cu3O7)
and La-214 ((La,Sr)2CuO4).Comment: 12, pages of text and Figs. TO APPEAR IN Mod. Phys. Lett. B (2005)