The effects of Zr (Zirconium) diffusion on the electric, magnetic and the structural properties of YBa2Cu307-x superconductors

In this study, Zr was evaporated to the one face of YBCO samples which were fabricated by the solid-state-reaction method and then the diffusion process was applied to the samples at the different temperatures. The effects of the temperature on the diffusion, the effects of the diffusion on the electrical and structural properties were examined. At the end of the investigations, the diffusion enhanced the normal state resistivity of YBCO, and increased the critical current density and the critical transition temperature, and decreased the transition temperature range, that is, it was observed that the diffusion improved the superconductivity properties of the samples. On the other hand, as a structural property, Zr diffusion increased the crystal lattice parameter of c and the diffusion parameter was calculated from this increase. It was observed that the temperature increased the diffusion coefficient. Finally, activation energy was calculated from the variation of the diffusion coefficient