Superconductor World Record Surpasses 250K

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
10 October 2009
Superconductors.ORG

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         Superconductors.ORG herein reports the observation of record high
superconductivity near
254 Kelvin (-19C, -2F). This temperature critical (Tc) is believed accurate +/-
2 degrees, making
this the first material to enter a superconductive state at temperatures
commonly found in
household freezers.

         This achievement was accomplished by combining two previously successful
structure types:
the upper part of a 9212/2212C and the lower part of a 1223. The chemical
elements remain the same
as those used in the 242K material announced in May 2009. The host compound has
the formula (Tl4Ba)
Ba2Ca2Cu7Oy and is believed to attain 254K superconductivity when a 9223
structure forms (shown
below left).

[To view the graphics and read the rest of the story, click the link below.]

http://www.superconductors.org/254K.htm




http://www.superconductors.org/254K.htm

Superconductor World Record Tops 240K

-------------------------------------------------------------------------
18 May 2009
Superconductors.ORG
-------------------------------------------------------------------------

Superconductors.ORG herein reports efforts to increase the Tc of the
233K superconductive material, announced in March 2009, have been
successful. Producing a new world record near 242K, the host compound
has the formula (Tl4Ba)Ba4Ca2Cu10Oy and is believed to have a 9212/2212C
intergrowth structure (shown below left).

        The chemical formula is written (Tl4Ba)Ba4 to indicate an extra
barium atom is being substituted into a thallium atomic site. The
purpose behind this 20% substitution is to hole-dope the insulating
layer. Heavy metal candidates with oxidation states lower than +3
included mercury, cadmium and barium. However, both mercury and cadmium
create a topological defect in the structure due to their affinity for
other atomic sites. This left barium as the best candidate for doping.

[to see the graphics and read the rest of this story, click the below
link]


http://www.superconductors.org/242K.htm

Superconductor World Record Jumps to 233K

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
24 March 2009
Superconductors.ORG
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

        40 degrees below zero is cold by any measure. But, in the world of
superconductors it's a
record hot day. Superconductors.ORG herein reports an increase in high-Tc to
233K (-40C, -40F)
through the substitution of thallium into the tin/indium atomic sites of the
X212/2212C structure
that produced a 218 Kelvin superconductor in January of 2009.

        The host material producing the 233K signal has the chemical formula
Tl5Ba4Ca2Cu9Oy. One of
several resistance-v-temperature plots used to confirm this new record is shown
above. And a
composite magnetization test, showing the Meissner transition, is shown below
right.

(to see the graphics and read the rest of the story, click the link below)

http://www.superconductors.org/233K.htm

Coaxing YBCO Above 175K

"Hyper YBCO" HY-134


-------------------------------------------------------------------------
-------
3 March 2009
Superconductors.ORG

-------------------------------------------------------------------------
-------


        Since its discovery in 1987 YBCO has established itself as the
preeminent industrial superconductor. However, it has consistently
resisted efforts to increase its critical transition temperature (Tc)
much beyond about 105K.

        Superconductors.ORG announces the discovery of a structure type
that facilitates an improvement in the Tc of YBCO beyond 175K (see above
plot). And, while the volume fraction derived from the method of
synthesis is low, the profound Tc improvement again validates planar
weight disparity (PWD) as a robust Tc-enhancement mechanism.

[To see graphics and read the rest of the story, click the below link.]

http://www.superconductors.org/Hyper134.htm

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
29 January 2009
Superconductors.ORG
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

        Signs of superconductivity near 218 Kelvin, reported by
Superconductors.ORG as a minority
phase on November 30, 2008, have now been confirmed. Resistive and diamagnetic
transitions have
been resolved using an established digital summing technique. Those results -
typically 10db over
noise - were then used to contrast samples of different stoichiometry to
identify the probable
structure type.

        The material producing the 218K signal appears to have the chemical
formula (Sn5In)
Ba4Ca2Cu11Oy. This conclusion was reached after comparing samples with 10 atoms
of copper per unit
cell to those with 11 atoms of copper per unit cell. In brief, those with 10
copper atoms produced
a strong 212K signal, and a weak 218K. Those samples with 11 copper atoms
produced a strong 218K
signal, and a weak 212K, as seen in the below right plot.

[To read the rest of the article and see the graphics, click the below link.]

http://www.superconductors.org/218K.htm

200K Superconductor Tweaked to 212K

--------------------
30 November 2008
Superconductors.ORG
--------------------

        In 1997 theoretical physicists with the Lawrence Berkeley Laboratory at
the University of
California postulated that there should exist an upper limit of the critical
temperature in the
superconducting copper-oxides "in the region of 160-170K"*. Subsequent to 1997
that limit was
increased to 200 Kelvin. Now it appears the limit may need to be raised to 220K
- or higher.

        Superconductors.ORG herein reports signs of superconductivity over 212K
by doping a recently-
discovered 200K tin-copper-oxide superconductor with a small amound of indium.
The improved formula
becomes (Sn5In)Ba4Ca2Cu10Oy. Although the 212K phase forms as a very small
volume fraction within
the bulk, sharp resistive and diamagnetic transitions are clearly visible when
multiple tests are
digitally summed together.

[To see the graphics and read the rest of this story, click the below link.]

http://www.superconductors.org/212K.htm

The First 200K Superconductor and a New Superconductor System

-------------------------------------------------------------------------
15 October 2008
Superconductors.ORG
-------------------------------------------------------------------------

        Superconductors.ORG herein reports synthesis of the first 200K
superconductor in conjunction with the discovery of a new superconductor
system.

        The 200K material is believed to have an intergrowth B212/1212C
structure, where B=11 and C=copper chain. This structure is shown below
left and has the chemical formula Sn6Ba4Ca2Cu10Oy. The general formula
for this new family of superconductors is SnxBa4Ca2Cu(x+4)Oy. Within
this new family, unit cells with 3 to 6 atoms of tin (x) have been found
to superconduct, with 6 atoms of tin producing a new record high Tc near
201 Kelvin.

[To read the full story and see the graphics, click the below link.]

http://www.superconductors.org/200K.htm

Superconductivity at Dry Ice Temperatures

-195K Achieved with New Synthesis Method-

-------------------------------------------------------------------------
17 July 2008
Superconductors.ORG
-------------------------------------------------------------------------

        Superconductors.ORG herein reports a method has been developed to
substantially increase the volume fraction of novel superconductor
structures that will not form stoichiometrically. This discovery was
made while trying to increase the volume fraction of the 185K (first
ambient temperature) superconductor announced in March 2008. It had the
unexpected benefit of revealing a theoretical 1256/1212 superconductor
with Tc near 195 Kelvin - a milestone and new world record. The formula
for the 195K superconductor is (Sn1.0Pb0.5In0.5)Ba4Tm6Cu8O22+. Its
1256/1212 structure is shown below left.

        The plots at page top show the sharp magnetic and resistive
transitions characteristic of superconductors. Both plots are composites
made from multiple passes that were digitally summed to better resolve
the weak 195K signal.


(to see the graphics and read the rest of the story, click the
below link:)

http://www.superconductors.org/195K.htm

U l t r a   Y B C O - 105K Without Extra Elements

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
3 June 2008
Superconductors.ORG
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------


         Superconductors.ORG herein reports the critical transition temperature
(Tc) of the
industrial superconductor YBCO (YBa2Cu3O7) has been successfuly increased from
92K to near 105K by
reformulating to Y3Ba5Cu8Ox. No new elements were added.

         Y-358 - dubbed "Ultra YBCO" - is a novel intergrowth incorporating two
different types of
planar weight disparity (PWD) and a larger unit cell. The target structure
(shown below left) is
colinear and does not incorporate branching of the CuO2 chains, as occurs in the
Y-124 and Y-247
structure types.

(to see the graphics and read the rest of the story, click the below link)

http://www.superconductors.org/ULTRA358.htm

The First Ambient Temperature Superconductor

- Antarctica is Cold Enough -

-------------------------------------------------------------------------
14 March 2008
Superconductors.ORG
-------------------------------------------------------------------------

On 21 July, 1983, the Vostok Research Station in Antarctica logged the
coldest temperature ever measured on earth at -89.2 C. This is
equivalent to 183.95 Kelvin. On March 6, 2008, Superconductors.ORG
measured signs of superconductivity just over 185 Kelvin in an optimized
1223/1212 intergrowth, marking the first observance of superconductivity
at earth ambient temperatures.

        Like the 181K superconductor reported in January of 2008, the
185K superconductor appeared as a minority phase in a 1223/1212 host
that was doped with extra Tm and Cu (see structure types at page
bottom). Through trail and error Tc was found to peak with slightly more
Lead and slightly less Indium than the 181K formulation. Eight separate
tests of the compound (Sn1.0Pb0.5In0.5)Ba4Tm5Cu7O20+ produced an average
Tc of 185.6K. Interestingly, the 3-to-1 ratio of 4A to 3A metals in the
insulating layer is also the ratio that produces the highest transition
temperatures among binary alloy superconductors.

(to read the full story and see the graphics, click the below link)

http://www.superconductors.org/185k_pat.htm

---------------------------------------
23 January 2008
Superconductors.ORG
---------------------------------------

        Superconductors.ORG herein reports the first observation of
superconductivity over 180 Kelvin. If confirmed, this discovery will
advance the world record for high-Tc to 181K.

        In October of 2007, superconductivity near 175K was detected at
ambient pressure in an Sn-In-Tm intergrowth. By doping roughly 28% of
the Sn atomic sites of that molecule with Pb, Tc is increased further to
181K (183K magnetic). The revised chemical formula thus becomes
(Sn1.0Pb0.4In0.6)Ba4Tm5Cu7O20+ with a 1245/1212 (non-stoichiometric)
structure.

   As with the 175K discovery, it was necessary to employ a 1223/1212
host to derive trace amounts of the desired 1245/1212 phase (shown at
left). An extra 6% of one atom of Cu and 6% of one atom of Tm were added
to the 1223/1212 stoichiometric mix. (The exact mole ratio is at page
bottom.)

[To read the full article and see the article graphics, click on the
below link:]

http://www.superconductors.org/181K_pat.htm


E. Joe Eck
Superconductors.ORG

Predicted Superconductivity Over 170K Found

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
3 October 2007
Superconductors.ORG
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

        Superconductors.ORG herein reports the discovery of a superconductor with
Tc near 175
Kelvin. This would be a new world record for a superconductor whose formula and
structure are
known. It's chemical formula is Sn1.4In0.6Ba4Tm5Cu7O20+. Such a high Tc material
was thought
possible only after the discovery in 2005 of a superconductor that took
advantage of planar weight
disparity (PWD) to achieve its then-record Tc of 150K.

         The 150K material was based on a 1234/1212 intergrowth structure -
upending conventional
thinking about Tc-enhancement. Historically, increasing the number of CuO2
planes in the
(Hg,Tl,Pb,Bi)-cuprates depresses Tc when the Ca-CuO2 layers exceed two. In PWD
superconductors this
limitation does not apply. As such, the next logical step was to attempt a
1245/1212 intergrowth
(shown at left) - which contains one more Tm-CuO2 layer than the 1234/1212
structure. Tc-vs-PWR
extrapolation (see log graph below) suggested such a material should produce a
Tc between 160K and
190K. However, finding the 1245/1212 superconductivity signature within a
multi-phasic bulk proved
difficult, due to the small volume fraction that results.


To see graphics and read the entire story, click the below link:

http://www.superconductors.org/175k_pat.htm

Two New Infinite Layer Superconductors - and a Challenge to YBCO

-------------------------------------------------------------------------
-------
31 August 2007
Superconductors.ORG

-------------------------------------------------------------------------
-------

        Superconductors.ORG herein reports the discovery of two
new "infinite layer", non-toxic superconductors. The chemical formulas
of the two compounds are YSrCa2Cu4Ox (Tc~101K) and BaSr2CaCu4Ox
(Tc~90K). With the recent push by the electronics industry to implement
RoHS (Restriction of Hazaradous Substances) in electronic products,
these discoveries will add to the pool of non-toxic alternatives
available to superconductor manufacturers.

        YSrCa2Cu4Ox, with its higher Tc of 101K, has the best prospects
of challenging YBCO - currently the most widely used non-toxic, high-
temperature superconductor (Tc ~92K). This is because it contains
calcium. Numerous researchers have found that calcium doping can
increase the current-carrying capabilites across grain boundaries by as
much as 35 percent. Whereas Ca doping of YBCO lowers its Tc, calcium is
native to this new material. So a higher Tc and Jc are intrinsic.

        The other discovery BaSr2CaCu4Ox is less likely to have
commercial success because of its multi-phasic content. (see plot above
right)

(To see the graphics and read the complete story, click the below link.)

http://www.superconductors.org/INFLAYER.htm

A New High Tc for Pb-Superconductors

-------------------------------------------------------------------------
26 July 2007
Superconductors.ORG
-------------------------------------------------------------------------

        Superconductors.ORG herein reports a new high Tc for Pb-based
superconductors. Resistance tests show the intergrowth compound
Pb3Sr4Ca3Cu6Ox has a critical transition temperature near 106 Kelvin.

        Typically, superconducting lead-cuprates do not perform well when
the insulating layers contain only Pb. This seems to be related to the
velocity of sound through lead. The lattice vibrations that facilitate
superconductivity are severely dampened by the lead. The best Pb
superconductors have a unit cell of around 16 metal layers and at least
some planar weight disparity (PWD).

(to read the entire story and see graphics, click below)

http://www.superconductors.org/PbHighTc.htm

The First Reentrant HT Superconductor?

-------------------------------------------------------------------------
22 May 2007
Superconductors.ORG
-------------------------------------------------------------------------

        Superconductors.ORG herein reports the discovery of what may be
the first high-temperature superconductor to unambiguously exhibit
reentrant behavior: Sn4Ba4Tm2YCu7Ox. Historically, reentrant behavior
has only been observed in low temperature superconductors when magnetic
ordering state conflicts briefly inhibit the formation of cooper pairs
(see below right plot).

        In order to observe reentrant behavior in LTS materials, an
element with unusual magnetic properties (like holmium) must be
included. The thulium used in this new superconductor is a well known
ferrite when combined with oxygen. Tm2+ is typically magnetic, with an
unpaired and strongly magnetic f electron. Tm3+ is f12 and is also
magnetic. It is not known, however, what triggers reentrant behavior in
this Tm compound, but not others.

(To read the entire story and see the graphics, click the below link.)

http://www.superconductors.org/reentrnt.htm

Planar Weight Disparity 2 Years Later:

20 New Superconductors and Counting

----------------------------------------------------------------------------
----5 March 2007
Superconductors.ORG
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Superconductors.ORG reports a milestone discovery of a 20th new
high-temperature superconductor since planar weight disparity (PWD) was
found to be a robust Tc-enhancement mechanism in early 2005. This newest
superconductor, Sn2Ba2(Y0.5Tm0.5)Cu3O8+, exhibits a critical transition
temperature near 96K. And while this Tc improvement is just 10 degrees over
the prototype, even greater improvements have been realized in other PWD
formulations.

        Planar weight disparity exists whenever planes within the layered
perovskites are alternated light-heavy. PWD was first found to work
successfully between alternating CuO2 planes. Then insulating layers were
confirmed. And just recently, disparity within the insulating layers was
also found to enhance Tc. (Electron/hole doping remains an important
consideration.)

        Consistently, however, Tc is depressed if the various types of PWD
are intermixed within the same unit cell. Only one exception has been found
to this rule.

        One surprising advantage of PWD is it allows the molecule designer to
place the heaviest atoms in the CuO2 planes. Previously most high-Tc
copper-oxides had period 6 heavy metals in the insulating layer. By placing
heavy rare earths in the CuO2 planes, Period 4 and 5 metals can be used
alone or in combination with Period 6 metals in the insulating layer. This
allows for an increase in PWD and optimization of overall unit cell weight.

        The ten structure types that have responded to PWD are shown below.

(Click below to view the graphics in this story.)

http://www.superconductors.org/Mileston.htm

E. Joe Eck
Superconductors.ORG

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
18 November 2006
Superconductors.ORG

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Superconductors.ORG reports the discovery of a new YBCO variant with Tc of 97K
and higher current-carrying capability than standard (92K) YBCO. A plot of the
material's resistance-vs-temperature (R-T) is shown above alongside a standard
YBCO plot. The chemical formula of this compound is Y2CaBa4Cu7O16+

Like the previous "Super YBCO" discoveries, planar weight disparity is the
mechanism behind the improved Tc. However, unlike Super YBCO, heavy rare earths
are not required. Instead, two yttrium atoms are positioned to alternate with a
single calcium atom in the CuO2 planes (shown at left). Thus, the new
formulation is neither 123, 124 nor 247; but rather, an intergrowth of 1212C and
1223C structures.

(To read the entire story and view graphics, click below)

http://www.superconductors.org/enh_YBCO.htm

One-of-a-Kind Superconductor Discovered

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
19 September 2006
Superconductors.ORG

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

        Superconductors.ORG herein reports the discovery of a copper-oxide
superconductor that exhibits zero resistance at one - and ONLY ONE temperature:
109K. If confirmed, this would be the first compound to display a "resonant"
superconductivity, where cooper pairs form only at a specific temperature.


To read the full story and see graphics, click here:

http://www.superconductors.org/resonant.htm

Superconductors.ORG reports an analysis of 14-year-old data on Sr substitution
in YBCO has revealed that the critical transition temperature (Tc) of
superconducting copper-oxides can be improved by increasing weight disparity
within the insulating layers. Previously Tc enhancement through planar weight
disparity was found to occur only by alternating heavy insulating layers with
light insulating layers; or by alternating heavy CuO2 planes with light CuO2
planes......


[To read the complete story and view graphics, click below:

http://www.superconductors.org/YBCOtilt.htm

26 July 2006

A US firm claims to have sent commercial levels of electric current down long
(100 metre) lengths of "second generation" high-temperature superconducting
wire for the first time. American Superconductor says that its breakthrough
achievement could speed up the acceptance of high-temperature superconductor
technology in the market place. The firm's second-generation wire -- made from
yttrium, barium copper and oxygen (YBCO) -- is cheaper to manufacture and
retains its superconducting abilities better under magnetic fields than "first-
generation" wire.


Thin wires
Superconductors are materials that lose their electrical resistance when cooled
below a certain temperature. Most superconductors have transition temperatures
of just a few Kelvin, but in the mid-1980s a new class of high-temperature
superconductors with transition temperatures of up to 100K was discovered.
These high-temperature "cuprate" superconductors conduct electricity without
resistance simply by cooling them with liquid nitrogen.

First-generation HTS wires -- made from bismuth, strontium, calcium copper
oxide (BSCCO) -- have been on the market for some time and can carry up to 100
times the current in standard copper wire of the same size. But because these
wires cost more than 100 times as much to make, they have not been a huge
success in the marketplace.

Second-generation wires, first invented by researchers in Japan and the US
over 10 years ago, have been more promising. Unfortunately, YBCO is not an easy
material to work with because it forms an array of grains as it is deposited on
a substrate, the boundaries between which have to line up exactly so that pairs
of electrons can flow from one grain to the next.

American Superconductor has now been able to make ribbon-shaped YBCO wires
that are 100 metres long and just 4-mm wide. It made them by depositing YBCO
onto a substrate of nickel alloy, which has highly aligned grains that the YBCO
grains can in turn follow. The firms says its wires can carry a current of up
to 140 Amperes when cooled with liquid nitrogen -- about 150 times as much as
a standard copper wire of the same dimension. "Just one of these wires would be
able to carry enough power to serve the needs of approximately 1000 homes,"
says Alex Malozemoff, the firm's chief technical officer.

The new wires could be used for power transmission and distribution cables,
propulsion motors, power regulators and fault current limiters as well as in
prototype power cables, maglev trains and MRI. The company says it has already
shipped nearly 3000 metres of the new wire to its customers this year and
expects to scale up production to 10,000 metres by the end of 2007.

About the author
Belle Dumé is science writer at PhysicsWeb


http://physicsweb.org/articles/news/10/7/11

Patent Claim Filed to Establish 150K High-Tc

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
31 May 2006
Superconductors.ORG
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

        Superconductors.ORG has filed a claim with the U.S. Patent and Trademark
Office asserting that the compound InSnBa4Tm4Cu6O18+ has a critical
superconducting transition temperature (Tc) near 150 Kelvin when the lattice
structure forms as a 1234/1212 intergrowth. If granted, this would establish a
new record for high Tc, eclipsing the old mark of 138K set over 12 years ago.

[To read this story go the below URL:]

http://www.superconductors.org/150K_pat.htm

30 March 2006

Since high-temperature superconductors were discovered two decades ago,
technologists have dreamed of low-loss electrical transmission lines,
levitating trains and super-efficient motors. But applications such as these
have been slow to materialize. Now, Amit Goyal and colleagues at the Oak Ridge
National Laboratory in the US have introduced nanoscale defects into
a "cuprate" superconductor to create short lengths of wire that can carry large
currents and work in strong magnetic fields. If the wires can be scaled up to
kilometre lengths then they could revolutionize applications of high-
temperature superconductivity (Science 311 1911).


The nanodots
Superconductors are materials that lose their electrical resistance when cooled
below a certain temperature. Most superconductors have transition temperatures
of just a few Kelvin, but in 1986 a new class of high-temperature
superconductors with transition temperatures of up to 100K was discovered.
These high-temperature "cuprate" superconductors consist of layers of copper
oxide, separated by metal atoms such as yttrium and barium, and the
supercurrent is thought to flow through the copper oxide layers.


Amit Goyal
Turning these compounds into commercially useful wires, however, has proved
difficult. For example, it is hard to grow wires thick enough to carry
sufficient current, and the superconducting behaviour can be destroyed when the
wires are exposed to the very strong magnetic fields generated in motors and
power-transmission cables. Goyal's team have made progress on both these
fronts using a technique called pulsed laser ablation to deposit a 3-micron-
thick film of yttrium barium copper oxide (YBCO) onto a flexible metal
substrate.


In the lab
According to Goyal, there was no single trick to getting the technique right to
make thicker wires, but the researchers adopted a new approach to making the
wires immune to magnetic fields by adding a barium zirconate (BZO) nanopowder
to the YBCO starting material. During wire growth, the BZO arranges itself into
columns of self-aligned nanodots within the superconductor. These columns of
nanodots act as extended defects that effectively pin down the magnetic flux
entering the wire, allowing large currents to flow through the superconductor
even when a high magnetic field is applied.

"Our work demonstrates that it is indeed possible to fabricate superconducting
wires with the performance levels needed for a whole range of large-scale
applications," says Goyal. "If successfully made in long lengths, wires with
such nanoscale defect structures could revolutionize the electric power
industry." The wires might also find use in the military, medicine, high-speed
transportation and high-energy physics. The team now hopes to achieve similar
nanoscale defects in thicker films and so obtain even better performance.

About the author
Belle Dumé is science writer at PhysicsWeb

http://physicsweb.org/articles/news/10/3/21

Welcome!

Welcome to {icps}2006, Bucharest, Romania ( details on
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14 February 2006

Physicists in Japan have shown that "entirely end-bonded" multi-walled carbon
nanotubes can superconduct at temperatures as high as 12 K, which is 30 times
greater than for single-walled carbon nanotubes. The discovery has been made
by a team led by Junji Haruyama of Aoyama Gakuin University in Kanagawa. The
superconducting nanotubes could be used to study fundamental 1D quantum effects
and also find practical applications in molecular quantum computing (Phys. Rev.
Lett. 96 057001).

Superconductivity is the complete absence of electrical resistance and is
observed in certain materials when they are cooled below a superconducting
transition temperature (Tc). Physicists agree that superconductivity relies on
getting electrons to overcome their mutual Coulomb repulsion and form "Cooper
pairs". In the Bardeen-Cooper-Schrieffer (BCS) theory of low-temperature
superconductivity, the electrons are held together because of their
interactions with phonons -- lattice vibrations in the material.

However, 1D conductors like carbon nanotubes -- rolled up sheets of graphite
just nanometres in diameter -- are not naturally superconducting. One reason
for this is the presence of so-called Tomonaga-Luttinger liquid (TLL) states
in the material, which cause the electrons to repulse each other and so destroy
Cooper pairs.

Now, however, Haruyama and colleagues have designed a system in which there is
a superconducting phase that can compete with the TLL phase and even overcome
it -- a feat hitherto believed impossible. The system consists of an array of
multi-walled carbon nanotubes, each of which consists of a series of
concentric nanotube shells. Electrical contacts made of metal are bonded to the
tubes so they touch the top of all the shells. Conventional "bulk junction"
contacts, in contrast, touch only the outermost shell of a tube and along its
length.

Haruyama and co-workers grew their multiwalled nanotubes from a template of
porous alumina. Next, they cut the tops off the nanotubes using ultrasound or
etching techniques and then evaporated a gold electrode onto the exposed ends
of the tubes. In this way, nearly all of the nanotube shells were made
electrically active.

The Japan team find that the end-bonded nanotubes lose all resistivity at
temperatures below 12 K. According to the researchers, this is because the TLL
states are suppressed so that superconductivity can appear. Moreover, the Tc
depends on the numbers of electrically activated shells and the physicists will
now try to increase this figure by making more or all of the shells active.

About the author
Belle Dumé is science writer at PhysicsWeb

=========
http://physicsweb.org/articles/news/10/2/8

http://www.superconductors.org/Ga-1212C.htm

Another Superconductor Responds to Planar Weight Tilting

7 Jan. 2006
Superconductors.ORG

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

        Superconductors.ORG herein reports a 29 degree improvement in the
critical transition temperature of GaSr2(Ca,Y)Cu2O7 when thulium is substituted
into the yttrium atomic site and the stoichiometric ratio of (Ca,Tm) is set at
0.5/0.5.

        Like the discovery of "Super YBCO" in November 2005, Ga-1212 (Tc~70K)
showed a marked increase in Tc after the CuO2 planar weight ratios were
increased. In the improved Ga-1212 formulation, thulium is alternated with
[lighter] calcium. Thus, the planar weight ratios are increased by a factor of
nearly 2.

                            (graphic)


        The above plot shows a sharp resistive transition near 99K with thulium
substitution. An unknown minority phase can also be seen.

        This discovery brings to 11 the number of new superconductors that have
been created using planar weight disparity as a Tc enhancement mechanism.

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

         RESEARCH NOTE: Thulium copper-oxides have been found to be strongly
hygroscopic and degrade rapidly when exposed to air. All tests should be
performed immediately after annealing.

-E. Joe Eck
© 2006 Superconductors.ORG

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http://www.superconductors.org/YBCO_hot.htm


"Super" YBCO Created

A Market Challenger to Lucent's YBCO

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
8 Nov. 2005
Superconductors.ORG
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------


        Superconductors.ORG herein reports up to a 15 degree improvement in
the critical transition temperature (Tc) of YBCO (YBa2Cu3O7) through the
substitution of a heavy rare earth element into every other Yttrium site.

        Since the discovery of YBCO in 1987, researchers have attempted to
tweak the Tc of this compound upward by doping the Yttrium site with various
elements. Divalent cations (Mg, Ca, Sr, Ba) and monovalent cations (Na, K,
Rb, Cs) have been tried, along with all of the rare earth elements. But,
only slight improvements have been reported - apparantly because the site
was only "doped". An exact 50-50 mix of Yttrium and a heavy rare earth has
been found by Superconductors.ORG to significantly improve Tc. This creates
substantial planar weight disparity in alternating layers, which has
previously been found to increase Tc in copper-oxide superconductors.

         Some rare earths - like Ce and Tb - prefer a tetravalent site.
Others like Yb require more Cu, which alters the 1212C structure.
Additionally, the tetragonal 1-2-3 structures are usually semiconducting.
So, constraints are put on what combinations can be attempted. Among the
heavy rare earths that are compatible and produce an orthorhombic lattice,
an exact 50-50 mix of Yttrium and Lutetium has been found by
Superconductors.ORG to produce the best results - a Tc of 107K (see below).


(graphic)


         Seemingly, the greater the weight ratio of RE-to-Y, the greater the
improvement. In the above plot a 15K Tc improvement is seen with a mix of
Lutetium and Yttrium. In the below plot of (lighter) Thulium and Yttrium,
the improvement is only 13 degrees - but the transition is sharper. A small
amount of (normal) YBCO that formed as a minority phase can be seen near 92K
in both plots.


(graphic)


        In the below graphic, Gadolinium substitution only increased the Tc
of Y-123 by about 5 degrees.


(graphic)


        Due to the higher costs of Lutetium and Thulium, Superconductors.ORG
will reduce the licensing fees to manufactuers wishing to use "Super YBCO"
in proportion to the additional materials costs. With proper documentation,
licensing fees could be waved altogether. Since prior research(1) of Tm-123
has found it to have a high upper critical field (Y,Tm)-123 appears to have
the greatest market potential with a Tc 105K.

        Synthesis of the material was by the solid state reaction method.
Stoichiometric amounts of the below precursors were mixed, pelletized and
sintered for 11 hours at 890C. The pellet was then annealed for 10 hours at
500C in flowing O2.

Y2O3 99.99%   (Alfa Aesar)
Lu2O3 99.99%   (Alfa Aesar)
Tm2O3 99.99%   (Stanford Materials)
Gd2O3 99.99%   (Alfa Aesar)
BaCuOx 99.9%   (Alfa Aesar)
CuO 99.7%   (Alfa Aesar)

-E. Joe Eck
© 2005 Superconductors.ORG
Patent Pending.
All rights reserved.

(1) J. J. Neumeier, et al., "Thulium barium copper oxide: A 90-K
superconductor with a potential 1-MG upper critical field," Applied Physics
Letters, pp.371-373, vol. 51, no. 5, August 3, 1987.

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

http://www.superconductors.org/YBCO_hot.htm

150K Superconductivity Observed
But What Is The Formula ?
----------------------------------------------------------------------
2 October 2005
Superconductors.ORG
----------------------------------------------------------------------
                            (graphic)

        Superconductors.ORG reports observing a sudden resistance drop
near 150K in a In-Sn-Tm intergrowth compound, suggesting possible
superconductivity at record temperatures. As can be seen in the above
graphic, the majority phase exhibits a resistance drop at 113K. But,
a minority phase (existing as a small volume fraction of the bulk)
can also be seen at around 150K. Numerous 4-point probe resistance
tests were performed to verify the data and all showed the same
resistive transition between 149K and 151K.

         The target stoichiometry was InSnBa4Tm3Cu5Ox. This is a
1223/1212 intergrowth compound (see below graphic), attempted as a
result of recent successes in increasing the Tc of copper-oxide
superconductors through planar weight tilting.

                       (graphic)

         While the exact formula of this 150K phase is unknown,
superconductivity beyond the current world record of 138K now appears
attainable. And a further two things seem likely:

1. This mystery material has a larger unit cell than the (above)
1223/1212 intergrowth compound.

2. It probably has disparate CuO2 planar weights, taking advantage of
the significant Tc improvements associated with planar weight
tilting.

        The mystery compound could, for example, be a 1234/1212
intergrowth. Unfortunately it would be impossible to synthesize a
homogenous bulk with such an intergrowth structure, since its
chemical formula would be identical to that of the 1223 structure
type. Isolating this material in its pure form will likely require
the use of a refining method such as the Tao electrostatic separation
technique.

- E. Joe Eck
© 2005 Superconductors.ORG
All rights reserved.


www.superconductors.org/InSn_Tm3.htm

30 August 2005

Editor's Note: This article was updated on 11 September 2005 to give a more
complete account of previous work on CaC6 than the version that was published
on 30 August 2005.

Bulk quantities of a new carbon-based superconductor have been made by
physicists in France. Known as CaC6, the material contains "foreign" calcium
atoms inserted between hexagonal two-dimensional sheets of graphite. Earlier
this year Tom Weller and co-workers at University College London (UCL) and
Cambridge University discovered that CaC6 becomes a superconductor when cooled
to below 11.5 Kelvin. Now Nicolas Emery of the University Henri Poincaré in
Nancy and colleagues at the University of Paris 6 & 7 have demonstrated how to
make bulk quantities of the material.

Superconductivity is the complete absence of electrical resistance and is
observed in certain materials when they are cooled below a superconducting
transition temperature (Tc). Physicists agree that superconductivity relies on
getting electrons to overcome their mutual Coulomb repulsion and form "Cooper
pairs". In the Bardeen-Cooper-Schrieffer (BCS) theory of low-temperature
superconductivity, the electrons are held together because of their
interactions with phonons - lattice vibrations in the material.

CaC6 is an example of a "graphite intercalated compound" - a class of
electronic material in which foreign (or guest) atoms, such as calcium, sodium
and potassium, are inserted into graphite. These materials consist of two-
dimensional layers of graphite with layers of guest atoms in between. Graphite
is a semi-metal, which means that electrons accepted or donated by the foreign
atoms modify the properties of the graphite, making the final material
metallic.

The first superconducting graphite-doped compound - potassium carbide (KC8) -
was discovered 40 years ago and had a Tc of just 0.14 Kelvin. Earlier this
year, researchers at UCL and Cambridge showed that ytterbium carbide (YbC6)
also becomes superconducting at 6.5 Kelvin and obtained evidence that CaC6
superconducts at a temperature of 11.5 Kelvin, which is the highest Tc observed
in a graphite intercalated compound so far (cond-mat/0503570). However, in
that experiment the CaC6 formed in micron-thick layers on the surfaces and
edges of the graphite host. Emery and co-workers have now developed a new
method to make high quality bulk samples of CaC6. This development has resulted
in sharpening of the superconducting transition.

The technique involves heating pyrolytic graphite with a molten lithium-
calcium alloy at 350°C under an atmosphere of argon for 10 days (Phys. Rev.
Lett. 95 087003; also available as cond-mat/0506093). Using X-ray diffraction,
the physicists showed that CaC6 is the only member of the MC6 family (where M
is a metal atom) to have rhombohedral symmetry -- the others are hexagonal.
They also found a sharp drop in the magnetisation of the material below 11.5
Kelvin.

According to calculations by Matteo Calandra and Francesco Mauri from the
University of Paris 6, who collaborated with Emery's team, superconductivity
in CaC6 is due to an electron-phonon mechanism (cond-mat/0506082). The charge
carriers in the material are mostly electrons in the "Fermi surface" of calcium
that couple to vibrations of the carbon atoms moving perpendicular to the
graphite layers and calcium atoms moving parellel to the layers. Furthermore,
the results suggest that this could be a general mechanism for all graphite
intercalation compounds.

In an earlier theoretical paper Gabor Csányi and co-workers at Cambridge wrote
that they had found "a striking correlation" between superconductivity in YbC6,
CaC6 and similar materials and the occupation by doped electrons of an
interlayer energy band that lies between the graphite sheets (cond-
mat/0503569). Csányi and co-workers conclude that this "suggests the
possibility of a pairing mechanism linked not to lattice but to soft charge
fluctuations".

About the author
Belle Dumé is science writer at PhysicsWeb


http://physicsweb.org/articles/news/9/8/18/1