Doubling the critical current density of high temperature superconducting coated conductors through proton irradiation
The in-field critical current of commercial YBa 2 Cu 3 O 7 coated conductors can be
substantially enhanced by post-fabrication irradiation with 4 MeV protons. Irradiation to a
fluence of 8× 10 16 p/cm 2 induces a near doubling of the critical current in fields of 6 T|| c at
a temperature of 27 K, a field and temperature range of interest for applications, such as
rotating machinery. A mixed pinning landscape of preexisting precipitates and twin
boundaries and small, finely dispersed irradiation induced defects may account for the …
substantially enhanced by post-fabrication irradiation with 4 MeV protons. Irradiation to a
fluence of 8× 10 16 p/cm 2 induces a near doubling of the critical current in fields of 6 T|| c at
a temperature of 27 K, a field and temperature range of interest for applications, such as
rotating machinery. A mixed pinning landscape of preexisting precipitates and twin
boundaries and small, finely dispersed irradiation induced defects may account for the …