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In some specific microelectronic applications, there is a demand for adhesive materials (glues/encapsulants) having very good thermal insulation properties. We have studied the properties obtained on epoxy-based samples loaded by several levels of xerogel filling. The thermal conductivity of these materials depends on the exact chemical composition and their manufacturing process. As a result, the thermal conductivity given in the manufacturer’s specifications or in the literature generally exhibits some dispersion. Therefore, we have developed a straightforward experimental rig, based on a vacuum chamber and miniature Pt100 sensors measurements, to precisely know the thermal conductivity of the various insulating materials used in the development and the assembly of select microsensors and microsystems. The results showed a decrease in the thermal conductivity of our xerogel-epoxy composites up to 35.8% compared with the value of the unfilled epoxy, corresponding to a thermal conductivity value of 107.9 mW m−1 K−1. In addition, cross-sectional images were observed by optical microscopy to characterize the specific microstructure of each sample to relate these observations to improvements in thermal conductivity.

In a flash sintering process, a straightforward way to control the current uniformity through the sample is contacting the sample to the electrodes with platinum paste. This method is however costly for large-scale applications. We show that the in-situ phase resolved partial discharge technique is suitable to assess the quality of the contact between Pt electrodes and uncoated 3YSZ samples. In the temperature range 250−500 °C and for 50 Hz electric fields ramped up to 3.2 kV/cm, a sudden increase of the partial discharge current well before any curvature change of the 50 Hz current is found to be a signature of a defective electrical contact. Changes in the partial discharge amplitude are observed around the current rush. The surface microstructure of the samples subjected to partial discharges shows characteristics similar to those observed during dielectric breakdown, although the applied electric field is well below their typical dielectric strength.

In this work we demonstrate the magnetic shielding ability of a stack of YBa2Cu3O7 tape annuli. The annuli are cut from a 46 mm wide second generation coated conductor deposited on a Ni-5at.%W alloy ferromagnetic (FM) substrate. The inner bore of the stacked tapes is 26 mm and the outer diameter is 45 mm. Three samples with different height (24 mm, 14.9 mm, 9.9 mm) are studied. All the experiments are carried out at both room temperature and liquid nitrogen temperature (77 K). The shielding efficiency is investigated when the magnetic field is applied either parallel to the axis of the stack (axial shielding) or perpendicular to it (transverse shielding). Under an axial field, magnetic shielding is found to be effective (SF > 3 ) up to magnetic flux densities of 0.67 T. The presence of the FM substrates is found to have two important consequences. First, the stack of annuli is able to shield transverse flux densities in spite of its layered structure. Second, a finite magnetic shielding effectiveness is demonstrated at room temperature. In order to understand the contribution of the FM substrates to the shielding mechanism, we use the experimental field dependence of the magnetic permeability as determined independently from hysteresis loop measurements on the same substrates. A finite-element homogenized model solved with an H–φ formulation is shown to successfully reproduce the shielding factor of the stack at room temperature and 77 K, both under axial and transverse applied fields. These models are also used to assess the influence of the critical current density and the magnetic permeability on the shielding efficiency. Finally, the results are used to predict the magnetic shielding properties of higher stacks, demonstrating their significant potential to shield axial fields of ∼ 0.93 T (with SF > 10 ) at 77 K.

In this paper we investigate the magnetic shielding of hollow and semi-closed bulk superconducting tubes at 77 K. We first consider the properties of a commercial Bi-2223 tube closed by a disk-shaped cap placed against its extremity. The results are compared with those obtained on a bulk large grain Y-Ba-Cu-O (YBCO) tube produced by buffer-aided top seeded melt growth. In this process, the disk-shaped pellet and the tubular sample are grown together, resulting in a tube naturally closed at one extremity. The field to be shielded is either parallel or perpendicular to the main axis of the tube. The experimental results are compared with the results of finite element numerical modeling carried out either in two dimensions (for the axial configuration) or three dimensions (for the transverse configuration). In the axial configuration, the results show that the shielded volume can be enhanced easily by increasing the thickness of the cap. In the transverse configuration, the results show the critical role played by the superconducting current loops flowing between the tube and the cap for magnetic shielding. If the tube and the cap are separated by a non-superconducting joint or air gap, the presence of a cap leads only to a small improvement of the transverse shielding factor, even for a configuration where the gap between the cap and the tube contains a 90° bend. The cap leads to a significant increase in the transverse shielding when the cap and the tube are naturally grown in the same process, i.e., made of a continuous superconducting material. The experimental results can be reproduced qualitatively by 3-D numerical modeling.

This work investigates in detail the Joule resistive heating phenomenon of electroactive shape memory composites (SMC) when an electric current is injected at constant power. The SMC is a covalent poly(ϵ-caprolactone) network filled with 3 wt% of multiwall carbon nanotubes. The resistive heating of the SMC is studied by means of surface temperature measurements, analytical formulas and a coupled 3D thermo-electric numerical model. Analytical expressions are derived for the 2D temperature distribution within a parallelepipedic SMC, either with constant or linearly-dependent electrical resistivity. These analytical expressions can be used to investigate the influence of geometrical and material parameters in the steady-state temperature and its distribution across the sample. The results also allow one to identify the parameters that are crucial for predicting the temperature rise due to resistive heating: the temperature dependence of the resistivity has little effect on the steady-state temperature, whereas the thermal conductivity plays a significant role. The time-dependent temperature is shown to be related to the particular temperature dependence of heat capacity. Furthermore, the presence of external objects (clamps or grips) used during the shape memory cycle must be taken into consideration for a certain temperature to be reached since they result in a lower steady-state temperature and a slower resistive heating phenomenon. With the findings presented in this work, accurate resistive heating can be predicted for a SMC upon the injection of an electric current at constant power.

Bulk large-grain superconductors can be used as high-field permanent magnets. Although the properties of such individual trapped field magnets are well documented, much less is known concerning their behaviour when two are brought together. In this work, the interaction between two cylindrical bulk YBa2Cu3O7 (YBCO) superconductors is described. Two sets of experiments were carried out. The first set of experiments involved the simultaneous magnetization of two bulk superconductors placed a short distance apart. The applied magnetic field was aligned parallel to the c-axis of one bulk, while the other had its c-axis directed at different angles. For a centre-to-centre distance equal to twice the sample height, the presence of the second sample is found not to alter the current distribution inside the first. Consequently, the contribution of both samples simply sums, thus increasing the magnetic flux density between them. In the second set of experiments, the translational approach of the superconductors with parallel c-axes was investigated. The following configurations were considered: (i) face to face approach (with anti-parallel trapped field orientation) and (ii) sideways approach (with parallel trapped field orientation). An irreversible decrease of the trapped field was measured when the samples are separated again. Repeated approach cycles showed that the irreversible loss of trapped field is most significant for the first approach.

© 2002-2011 IEEE. YBCO tubes of ∼10 mm diameter closed at one extremity were engineered by a buffer-aided top seeded melt growth fabrication process. These tubes can act as efficient 'dc' magnetic shields and are observed to reduce axial flux densities of 1.5 T by a factor of 100 at 20 K. Such performances are comparable in magnitude to the record threshold inductions reported for bulk MgB2 and Bi-2212 materials at lower temperatures. Magnetic shielding measurements for open and closed tubes at 77 K also show that the presence of the cap improves substantially the shielding performance at the closed extremity since it reduces the penetration through the open end. This fabrication technique is extremely promising for shielding 'dc' stray fields generated by high temperature superconductor magnets operated in a temperature range obtained by cryocoolers, liquid hydrogen (20 K), or liquid neon (27 K).

The critical properties of monovalent doped manganite Pr 0.55 K 0.05 Sr 0.4 MnO 3 around the paramagnetic to ferromagnetic phase transition were investigated through various methods: the modified Arrott plots (MAP), the Kouvel–Fisher method and the critical isotherm analysis. Data obtained near T c were examined in the framework of the mean field theory, the 3D-Heisenberg model, the 3D-Ising model, and tricritical mean field. The deduced critical exponents values obtained using MAP method were found to be β =0.44(4) with T C ≈303 K and γ =1.04(1) with T C ≈302 K. Kouvel–Fisher method supplies the critical values to be β =0.41(2) with T C ≈302 K and γ =1.09(1) with T C ≈302 K. The obtained critical parameters show a tendency towards the mean-field behavior, suggesting the existence of long-range ferromagnetic order in the compound studied. The exponent δ deduced separately from isotherm analysis at T =303 K was found to obey to the Widom scaling relation δ =1+ γ / β . The reliability of obtained exponents was confirmed by using the universal scaling hypothesis. The itinerant character of ferromagnetism in the present system was also tested by using Rhodes–Wohlfarth's criterion.

This paper investigates the practical effectiveness of employing superconducting stacked tapes to superconducting electric machinery. The use of superconducting bulks in various practical applications has been addressed extensively in the literature. However, in practice, dramatic decrease in magnetization would occur on superconducting bulks due to the crossed field effect. In our study, we employed the superconducting stacked tapes in a synchronous superconducting motor, which was designed and fabricated in our laboratory, aiming to lessen demagnetization due to crossed field effect in comparison with superconducting bulks. Applying the transverse AC field, the effects of frequency, amplitude, and number of cycles of the transverse magnetic field are discussed. Furthermore, a stack of 16 layers of superconducting tapes is modelled and the consequences of applying the crossed magnetic field on the sample are evaluated. The confrontation between experiments and simulation allows us to thoroughly understand the crossed field effects on stacked tapes. At the end, a preventive treatment, based on the shielding characteristic of superconductor and materials with high permeability, i.e. $\mu$-metal and metalic glass, is suggested. On the other hand, the shielding feature of aforementioned materials will hinder the penetration of magnetic field and, consequently, reduction of the demagnetization will be attained.

Due to their ability to trap large magnetic inductions, superconducting bulk materials can be used as powerful permanent magnets. The permanent magnetization of such materials, however, can be significantly affected by the application of several cycles of a transverse variable magnetic field. In this work, we study, at T = 77 K, the long term influence of transverse ac magnetic fields of small amplitudes (i.e. much smaller than the full penetration field) on the axial magnetization of a bulk single grain superconducting GdBCO pellet over a wide range of low frequencies (1 mHz–20 Hz). Thermocouples are placed against the pellet surface to probe possible self-heating of the material during the experiments. A high sensitivity cryogenic Hall probe is placed close to the surface to record the local magnetic induction normal to the surface. The results show first that, for a given number of applied triangular transverse cycles, higher values of d B app /d t induce smaller magnetization decays. An important feature of practical interest is that, after a very large number of cycles which cause the loss of a substantial amount of magnetization (depending on the amplitude and the frequency of the field), the rate of the magnetization decay goes back to its initial value, corresponding to the relaxation of the superconducting currents due to flux creep only. In the amplitude and frequency range investigated, the thermocouples measurements and a 2D magneto-thermal modelling show no evidence of sufficient self-heating to affect the magnetization so that the effect of the transverse magnetic field cycles on the trapped magnetic moment is only attributed to a redistribution of superconducting currents in the volume of the sample and not to a thermal effect.

Poly- and nanocrystalline manganite composites (1/3)La0.7Ca0.3MnO3/(2/3)La0.8Sr0.2MnO3 prepared by the sol–gel method are studied by magnetic and transport measurements. The Arrott plots and universal curve of magnetic entropy change confirm that magnetic transition is of the second order. The magnetocaloric effect of polycrystalline composite is found to be roughly twice smaller as compared to the polycrystalline Ca- and Sr-based parent phases. The nanocrystalline composite of the same composition exhibits only 8% reduction of magnetic entropy change. Due to the large temperature spread of magnetocaloric effect the relative cooling power RCP of nanocrystalline composite is about three times larger as compared to the nanocrystalline Ca- and Sr-based parent phases. The maximum magnetic entropy change DSMAX and relative cooling power RCP are found to be more sensitive to magnetic field strength for the nano- than for polycrystalline composites studied.

The use of (Re)BCO is limited by the problems of magnetization/demagnetization. (Re)BCO is available in many forms, but two of the most interesting for high magnetic field applications are 2-G tape and bulks (either or as grown or manufactured artificially using 2-G tapes). The minimum joint resistance that can be achieved between YBCO tapes is on the order of 100 nΩ, but this is still too large to operate coils in persistent mode. Bulks have potential to act as very high field magnets, but in order to do this, they need to be magnetized. This paper describes flux pumping methods, which can be used to charge either coils or bulks.

Pr 0.55 K 0.05 Sr 0.4 MnO 3 sample have been synthesized using the conventional solid state reaction. Rietveld refinements of the X-ray diffraction patterns at room temperature confirm that the sample is single phase and crystallizes in the orthorhombic structure with P nma space group; the crystallite size is around 70 nm. The SEM images show that grain size spreads around 1000–1200 nm. DTA analysis does not reveal any clear transition in temperature range studied. The low-temperature DSC indicates that Curie temperature is around 297 K. Magnetization measurements in a magnetic applied field of 0.01 T exhibit a paramagnetic–ferromagnetic transition at the Curie temperature T C = 303 K. A magnetic entropy change under an applied magnetic field of 2 T is found to be 2.26 J kg − 1 K −1 , resulting in a large relative cooling power around 70 J/kg. Electrical resistivity measurements reveal a transition from semiconductor to metallic phase. The thermal conductivity is found to be higher than that reported for undoped and Na doped manganites reported by Thaljaoui et al. (2013).

The development of large size magnetic materials requires nondestructive measurement techniques to characterize their magnetic moment. In this work, we report the design and construction of a torque magnetometer able to accommodate sizable magnetic samples (>1 cm3) both at room temperature and cryogenic temperature. This device has an intermediate sensitivity between miniature torque magnetometers designed to work at cryogenic temperature and industrial torquemeters poorly adapted to extreme conditions. We show that torque sensing in the range 10−3–100 Nm can be achieved with piezoresistive metallic strain gages cemented on a cylindrical aluminum shaft with external temperature control. An absolute calibration of the device, carried out with a coil fed by a DC current, shows that magnetic moments down to 5 × 10−3 A m2 can be measured by this technique. The magnetometer is used to characterize a Nd–Fe–B permanent magnet and a permanently magnetized bulk, large grain superconductor at liquid nitrogen temperature (77 K). Results are in excellent agreement with data obtained with a flux extraction magnetometer for large samples. The device is able to measure magnetic moments in excess of 1.5 A m2, i.e., two orders of magnitude above the maximum magnetic moment of commercial magnetometers. The sample can be inserted in the air-gap of an electromagnet to measure the decrease in magnetic moment in the presence of a transverse applied field. The device was used to characterize the magnetic moment of “quasibulk” superconductors made of stacked coated conductor tapes (12 mm width) in such “crossed field” conditions.

Magnetic and magnetocaloric properties are reported for polycrystalline monovalent potassium doped manganites Pr0.6Sr0.4−xKxMnO3 (x=0, 0.05, 0.1, 0.15 and 0.2) crystallized in orthorhombic structure with Pnma space group. The increasing K content shifts the paramagnetic to ferromagnetic transition temperature from 310 K for x=0 to 269 K for x=0.2. The magnetic entropy change under magnetic field variation of 2 T is found to be 1.95, 3.09, 2.89, 3.05 and 3.2 J/kgK for x varying from 0 to 0.2, respectively. The highest relative cooling power of 102 J/kg is observed for the undoped sample. The sensitivity of magnetic entropy change to magnetic field is estimated by a local N(T) exponent exhibiting the characteristic temperature variation. Phenomenological universal curves of entropy change and Arrott plots confirm the second order phase transition.

The monovalent potassium doped manganites Pr 0.6 Sr 0.4− x K x MnO 3 ( x = 0.05–0.2) are characterized using the complementary magnetic susceptibility and electron resonance methods. In paramagnetic phase the temperature variations of the inverse magnetic susceptibility and the inverse intensity of resonance signal obey the Curie–Weiss law. A similarity in temperature variation of resonance signal width and the adiabatic polaron conductivity points to the polaron mechanism controlling the resonance linewidth. The low temperature limit of the pure paramagnetic phase is determined from the electron resonance spectra revealing the mixed phase spread down to the Curie temperature.

An orthorhombic DyMnO 3 single crystal has been studied in magnetic fields up to 14 T and between 3 Kand room temperature. The field dependent ordering temperature of Dy moments is deduced. Theparamagnetic Curie Weiss behavior is related mainly to the Dy 3þ sublattice whereas the Mn sublatticecontribution plays a secondary role. DC magnetization measurements show marked anisotropicfeatures, related to the anisotropic structure of a cubic system stretched along a body diagonal, witha magnetic easy axis parallel to the crystallographic b axis. A temperature and field dependent spin floptransition is observed below 9 K, when relatively weak magnetocrystalline anisotropy is overcome bymagnetic fields up to 1.6 T.& 2013 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved. 1. IntroductionManganites are manganese compounds of composition AMnO 3 ,where e.g. A¼ La, Ca, Ba,y, which crystallize in the cubic structureof the so called ‘‘perovskite mineral’’ CaTiO 3 . Depending on thecomposition they show a wide variety of magnetic and electricphenomena, including ferromagnetic, antiferromagnetic, chargeand orbital ordering. The multiferroic behavior and magnetoresis-tive effects make such oxides as natural candidates for potentialspintronics applications [1,2]. Intrinsic anisotropy is induced if theA site is occupied by different types of ions, with e.g. differentintrinsic charges. When the site A is partially or fully occupied by amagnetic ion, a severe intrinsic anistropy may be induced and thecompounds show different anisotropic behaviors as the tempera-ture is changed. This is considerable if the A ion has an f-shell, likein the rare earth ions. It is easily guessed that such anisotropicfeatures will surely depend on the orientation of any appliedmagnetic field.The perovskites manganites where A is a rare-earth (RE)element present the coexistence of magnetism and ferroelectricity.Moreover, either orthorhombic or hexagonal REMnO

Synthesis of polycationic compounds by the spray-drying technique is an interesting alternative in the domain of aqueous precursor synthesis methods. Spray drying yields high quality samples with good reproducibility. The possibility of scaling up for production of large quantities with fast processing time is well established by the commercial availability of powders of various compositions. In this paper, we have discussed the advantages and limitations of this method and demonstrated its interest by synthesizing a few polycationic compounds selected for their attractive properties of thermoelectricity [Bi1.68Ca2Co1.69O8, La0.95A0.05CoO3 (A=Ca, Sr, Ba)] or magnetoresistance [La0.70A0.30MnO3 (A=Sr, Ba)]. We have confirmed the quality of these samples by reporting their structure, magnetic and transport properties.

Crystals of PrxLa1−xAlO3 solid solution have been grown by the Czochralski method for the first time, to the best of our knowledge. Crystals with high praseodymium concentration tend to grow spirally. The color of the crystals changes with chemical composition. X-ray diffraction shows an increase of the lattice constants with an increase in lanthanum ion concentration. The thermal conductivity has been investigated in the temperature range from 5 to 300 K. Completely different behavior of thermal conductivity is observed at low temperatures for the investigated crystals, whereas it remains roughly constant at high temperatures. The values of magnetic susceptibility lie within the expected range that could be expected for a paramagnetic material.

The polycrystalline manganite La0.75Sr0.25MnO3 prepared by an alternative carbonate precipitation route reveals the rhombohedral perovskite structure. Magnetization isotherms measured up to 2 T are used to determine Curie temperature of 332 K by means of Arrott plot. Maximum of magnetic entropy change is found at Curie temperature. The relative cooling power equal to 64 J/kg for 1.5 T magnetic field, is superior as compared to the manganite with the same chemical composition from the sol–gel method.

Structure, magnetic and magnetocaloric properties of poly- and nanocrystalline La0.5Ca0.5MnO3 manganites prepared by the citrate sol–gel method are studied in a broad temperature range. The Arrott plots show that the phase transition is of the second order. The cooling efficiency of 93–97 J/kg is found for the poly- and nanocrystalline samples. The relatively weaker magnetocaloric effect in nanocrystalline La0.5Ca0.5MnO3 is spread over temperature range almost three times broader than for the polycrystalline one. Charge ordering effects decay in manganites with grain sizes below 150 nm.

Results of X-ray absorption fine structure measurements in manganites (La 1-x Ho x ) 2/3 Ca 1/3 MnO 3 with 0.15 < x < 0.50 are presented. When LaMnO 3 is doped with a, divalent element such as Ca 2+ , substituting for La 3+ , holes are induced in the filled Mn d orbitais. This leads to a, strong ferromagnetic coupling between Mn sites. Ca ions in La 1-x Ca x MnO 3 introduce a distortion of the crystal lattice and mixed valence Mn ions (Mn 3+ and Mn 4+ ). On the other hand, in manganites (La 1-x Ho x ) 2/3 Ca 1/3 MnO 3 the substitution of La for Ho causes a lattice distortion and induces a disorder, which reduces a magnetic interaction. The ferromagnetic transition temperature and conductivity decrease very quickly with increasing x. The magnetic and transport properties of compounds depend on the local atomic structure around Mn ions. The information on the bond lengths and Debye-Waller factor are obtained from the extended X-ray absorption fine structure (EXAFS) data analysis. The charge state of Mn is determined from the position of the absorption edge in X-ray absorption near edge structure (XANES) data. XAFS results are in good agreement with magnetic characteristics of the studied materials.

We study the magnetic shielding properties of hybrid ferromagnetic/superconductor (F/S) structures consisting of two coaxial cylinders, with one of each material. We use an axisymmetric finite-element model in which the electrical properties of the superconducting tube are modeled by a nonlinear E-J power law with a magnetic-field-dependent critical current density whereas the magnetic properties of the ferromagnetic material take saturation into account. We study and compare the penetration of a uniform axial magnetic field in two cases: 1) a ferromagnetic tube placed inside a larger superconducting tube (Ferro-In configuration) and 2) a ferromagnetic tube placed outside the superconducting one (Ferro-Out configuration). In both cases, we assess how the ferromagnetic tube improves the shielding properties of the sole superconducting tube. The influence of the geometrical parameters of the ferromagnetic tube is also studied: It is shown that, upon an optimal choice of the geometrical parameters, the range of magnetic fields that are efficiently shielded by the high-temperature superconductor tube alone can be increased by a factor of up to 7 (2) in a Ferro-Out (Ferro-In) configuration. The optimal configuration uses a 1020 carbon steel with a thickness of 2 mm and a height that is half that of the superconducting cylinder (80 mm).

We have studied numerically and experimentally the magnetic flux penetration in high-Tc superconducting tube subjected to a uniform magnetic field parallel to its long axis. This study is carried in view of designing low-frequency magnetic shields by exploiting the diamagnetic properties of high-Tc superconducting ceramics. We have measured the field attenuation for applied magnetic fields in the frequency range 5 mHz-0.1 Hz by Hall probe measurements and at audio frequencies using a sensing coil. A simple 1D analysis using the Kim critical state model was found to be able to reproduce the experimental data satisfactorily. We have also determined the phase shift between the internal and the applied field both experimentally and numerically. Finally, we have studied the sweep rate dependence of the magnetic shielding properties, using data recorded either at several constant sweep rates dB/dt or at several AC fields of various amplitudes and frequencies. Both methods agree with each other and lead to a n -value of the E ~ J n law equal to ~ 40 at 77 K.

The structural, magnetic and electrical transport properties of the Sn-doped TbMnO3 manganites are studied by X-ray diffraction, ac susceptibility, dc magnetization and electrical resistivity measurements. The Sn doping into the Tb and Mn sites of TbMnO3 compresses the unit cell and changes parameters of the antiferromagnetic phase whereas the magnetic moment of Mn are only weakly affected. The electrical resistivity of doped manganites is reduced and the activation energy EA is determined for the thermally activated conduction.

A great majority of widely used ferrite ceramics exhibit a relatively high temperature of order–disorder phase transition in their magnetic subsystem. For applications related to the magnetization process of superconductors, however, a low value of T c is required. Here we report and analyze in detail the thermal properties of bulk Ti-doped Cu–Zn ferrite ceramics Cu0.3Zn0.7Ti0.04Fe1.96O4 and Mg0.15Cu0.15Zn0.7Ti0.04Fe1.96O4. They are characterized by a Curie temperature in the range 120–170 K and a maximum DC magnetic susceptibility exceeding 20 for the Cu0.3Zn0.7Ti0.04Fe1.96O4 material. The temperature dependence of both the specific heat C p and of the thermal conductivity κ, determined between 2 and 300 K, are found not to exhibit any peculiar feature at the magnetic transition temperature. The low-temperature dependence of both κ and the mean free path of phonons suggests a mesoscopic fractal structure of the grains. From the measured data, the characteristics of thermally actuated waves are estimated. The low magnetic phase transition temperature and suitable thermal parameters make the investigated ferrite ceramics applicable as magnetic wave producers in devices designed for magnetization of high-temperature superconductors.

La 0.7 Ca 0.3 MnO 3 /Mn 3 O 4 composites can be synthesized in one step by thermal treatment of a spray-dried precursor, instead of mixing pre-synthesized powders. Another advantage of this composite system is that a long sintering step can be used without leading to significant modification of the manganite composition. The percolation threshold is reached at ∼20 vol% of manganite phase. The 77 K low field magnetoresistance is enhanced to ∼11% at 0.15 T when the composition is close to the percolation threshold.

We report the design and construction of a flux extraction device to measure the DC magnetic moment of large samples (i.e., several cm(3)) at cryogenic temperature. The signal is constructed by integrating the electromotive force generated by two coils wound in series-opposition that move around the sample. We show that an octupole expansion of the magnetic vector potential can be used conveniently to treat near-field effects for this geometrical configuration. The resulting expansion is tested for the case of a large, permanently magnetized, type-II superconducting sample. The dimensions of the sensing coils are determined in such a way that the measurement is influenced by the dipole magnetic moment of the sample and not by moments of higher order, within user-determined upper bounds. The device, which is able to measure magnetic moments in excess of 1 A m(2) (1000 emu), is validated by (i) a direct calibration experiment using a small coil driven by a known current and (ii) by comparison with the results of numerical calculations obtained previously using a flux measurement technique. The sensitivity of the device is demonstrated by the measurement of flux-creep relaxation of the magnetization in a large bulk superconductor sample at liquid nitrogen temperature (77 K).

A high temperature superconducting magnetic energy storage device (SMES) has been realised using a 350 m-long BSCCO tape wound as a ''pancake'' coil. The coil is mounted on a cryocooler allowing temperatures down to 17.2 K to be achieved. The temperature dependence of coil electrical resistance R(T) shows a superconducting transition at T = 102.5 K. Measurements of the V(I) characteristics were performed at several temperatures between 17.2 K and 101.5 K to obtain the temperature dependence of the critical current (using a 1 µV/cm criterion). Critical currents were found to exceed 100 A for T < 30 K. An electronic DC-DC converter was built in order to control the energy flow in and out of the superconducting coil. The converter consists of a MOS transistor bridge switching at a 80 kHz frequency and controlled with standard Pulse Width Modulation (PWM) techniques. The system was tested using a 30 V squared wave power supply as bridge input voltage. The coil current, the bridge input and output voltages were recorded simultaneously. Using a 10 A setpoint current in the superconducting coil, the whole system (coil + DC-DC converter) can provide a stable output voltage showing uninterruptible power supply (UPS) capabilities over 1 s.

When bulk RE-BCO superconductors are used as permanent magnets in engineering applications, they are likely to experience transient variations of the applied magnetic field. The resulting vortex motion may cause a significant temperature increase. As a consequence the initial trapped flux is reduced. In the present work, we first focus on the cause of a temperature increase. The temperature distribution within a superconducting finite cylinder subjected to an alternating magnetic field is theoretically predicted. Results are compared to experimental data obtained by two temperature sensors attached to a bulk YBCO pellet. Second, we consider curative methods for reducing the effect of heat flux on the temperature increase. Hall-probe mappings on YBCO samples maintained out of the thermal equilibrium are performed for two different morphologies : a plain single domain and a single domain with a regularly spaced hole array. The drilled single-domain displays a trapped induction which is weakly affected by the local heating while displaying a high trapped field.

YBa2Cu3O7-δ thick films have been deposited onto Ag substrates by the Electrophoretic Deposition (EPD) technique. Different microstructures and electrical behaviours were observed depending on the starting powder. Coatings prepared from commercial powder displayed significant porosity and the superconducting transition width was found to be magnetic-field dependent. Films produced from home-made coprecipitated powder are denser but contain some secondary phases. No dependence of the resistive transition as a function of magnetic field (H ≤ 20 Oe) was observed in that case.

LiMn 2− x Ti x O 4 compounds with 0 ≤ x ≤ 1 were prepared by solid state reaction and Pechini technique. Powder X-ray diffraction showed that all samples crystallize with the spinel crystal structure (S.G. Fd3¯m ). The cubic unit-cell parameter increases with the Ti content. The influence of the Ti content and cationic distribution on the magnetic properties of the compounds was studied by measuring the temperature and magnetic field dependences of the magnetization: substitution by non-magnetic d 0 Ti 4+ ions appeared to weaken the magnetic interactions between the manganese ions. The electrical properties of LiMnTiO 4 were studied by AC impedance spectroscopy and DC polarisation measurements, which revealed the electronic character of the conduction process.

The aim of this report is to compare the trapped field distribution under a local heating created at the sample edge for different sample morphologies. Hall probe mappings of the magnetic induction trapped in YBCO bulk samples maintained out of thermal equilibrium were performed on YBCO bulk single domains, YBCO single domains with regularly spaced hole arrays, and YBCO superconducting foams. The capability of heat draining was quantified by two criteria: the average induction decay and the size of the thermally affected zone caused by a local heating of the sample. Among the three investigated sample shapes, the drilled single domain displays a trapped induction which is weakly affected by the local heating while displaying a high trapped field. Finally, a simple numerical modelling of the heat flux spreading into a drilled sample is used to suggest some design rules about the hole configuration and their size.

The magnetic, electrical and thermal transport properties of the perovskite La0.7Ca0.3Mn0.9Cr0.1O3 have been investigated by measuring dc magnetization, ac susceptibility, the magnetoresistance and thermal conductivity in the temperature range of 5–300 K. The spin glass behaviour with a spin freezing temperature of 70 K has been well confirmed for this compound, which demonstrates the coexistence and competition between ferromagnetic and antiferromagnetic clusters by the introduction of Cr. Colossal magnetoresistance has been observed over the temperature range investigated. The introduction of Cr causes the ``double-bump'' feature in electrical resistivity ρ(T). Anomalies on the susceptibility and the thermal conductivity associated with the double-bumps in ρ(T) are observed simultaneously. The imaginary part of ac susceptibility shows a sharp peak at the temperature of insulating–metallic transition where the first resistivity bump was observed, but it is a deep-set valley near the temperature where the second bump in ρ(T) emerges. The thermal conductivity shows an increase below the temperature of the insulating–metallic transition, but the phonon scattering is enhanced accompanying the appearance of the second peak of double-bumps in ρ(T). We relate those observed in magnetic and transport properties of La0.7Ca0.3Mn0.9Cr0.1O3 to the spin-dependent scattering. The results reveal that the spin–phonon interaction may be of more significance than the electron (charge)–phonon interaction in the mixed perovskite system.

Calcium-substituted lanthanum manganite compounds were synthesized by the spray drying technique. This method—whose main advantages are versatility, high reproducibility and scalability—yields small grain materials of high homogeneity and displaying low-field magnetoresistance effects. We report about the physical and chemical characterizations of these samples in order to investigate the potential interest of spray drying for the production of materials for low-field magnetoresistance applications. We have studied the dependence of the low-field magnetoresistance on the temperature and duration of the thermal treatment applied to the pelletized powders. The issue of the shape anisotropy (demagnetisation effects) influence on the magnetoresistance properties has also been dealt with.

An infiltration and growth process is here used as an alternative to the classical top-seeded melt-textured growth process for the production of Dy-123 single-domains with finely dispersed small size Dy-211 particles. The starting materials are the 211-particles and a barium and copper rich liquid phase precursor. The infiltration and growth process allows for controlling both the spatial and size distribution of the 211-particles in the final superconducting 123-single-domain. The main parameters (set-ups, maximum processing temperature with respect to the peritectic temperature, nature of reactant, porosity of the 211-preform) of the infiltration and growth process are discussed. Moreover, different processes of chimie douce are shown in order to produce Dy-211 particles with controlled shape and size, particles that can be used as precursors for the infiltration and growth process.

We report about the magnetoresistive properties of calcium-doped lanthanum manganate thin films grown by RF magnetron sputtering on single crystalline LaAlO 3 and MgO substrates. Two orientations of the magnetic field with respect to the electrical current have been studied: (i) magnetic field in the plane of the film and parallel to the electrical current, and (ii) magnetic field perpendicular to the plane of the film. The film grown on LaAlO 3 is characterised by an unusual magnetoresistive behaviour when the magnetic field is applied perpendicular to the film plane: the appearance of two bumps in the field dependence of the resistance is shown to be related to the occurrence of anisotropic magnetoresistive effects in manganate films.

In this paper we report about the electrical properties of La 0.7 Ca 0.3 MnO 3 compounds substituted by copper on the manganese site and/or deliberately contaminated by SiO 2 in the reactant mixture. Several phenomena have been observed and discussed. SiO 2 addition leads to the formation of an apatite-like secondary phase that affects the electrical conduction through the percolation of the charge carriers. On the other hand, depending on the relative amounts of copper and silicon, the temperature dependence of the electrical resistivity can be noticeably modified: our results enable us to compare the effects of crystallographic vacancies on the A and B sites of the perovskite with the influence of the copper ions substituted on the manganese site. The most original result occurs for the compounds with a small ratio Si/Cu, which display double-peaked resistivity vs. temperature curves.

Precise magnetotransport studies of heat and charge carriers in polycrystalline MgB2 show that magnetic fields up to 8 T remarkably influence electrical resistivity, thermoelectric power and thermal conductivity. The superconducting transition temperature shifts from 39 K to 19 K at 8 T as observed on electric signals. The temperature transition width is weakly broadened. Electron and phonon contributions to the thermal conductivity are separated and discussed. The Debye temperature calculated from a phonon drag thermoelectric power component is inconsistent with values derived through other effects.

MgB_2 in bulk form shows great promise as trapped field magnets (TFMs) as an alternative to bulk (RE)BCO materials to replace permanent magnets in applications such as rotating machines, magnetic bearings and magnetic separation, and the relative ease of fabrication of MgB_2 materials has enabled a number of different processing techniques to be developed. In this paper, a comparison is made between bulk MgB_2 samples fabricated by the hot isostatic pressing (HIP), with and without Ti-doping, and infiltration growth (IG) methods and the highest trapped field in an IG-processed bulk MgB_2 sample, B_z = 2.12 at 5 K and 1.66 T at 15 K, is reported. Since bulk MgB_2 has a more homogeneous J_c distribution than (RE)BCO bulks, studies on such systems are made somewhat easier because simplified assumptions regarding the geometry and J_c distribution can be made, and a numerical simulation technique based on the 2D axisymmetric H-formulation is introduced to model the complete process of field cooling (FC) magnetization. As input data for the model, the measured J_c(B,T) characteristics of a single, small specimen taken from each bulk sample are used, in addition to measured specific heat and thermal conductivity data for the materials. The results of the simulation reproduce the experimental results extremely well: (1) indicating the samples have excellent homogeneity, and (2) validating the numerical model as a fast, accurate and powerful tool to investigate the trapped field profile of bulk MgB_2 discs of any size accurately, under any specific operating conditions. Finally, the paper is concluded with a numerical analysis of the influence of the dimensions of the bulk sample on the trapped field.

This communication aims at reporting the superconducting properties of Bi-2223/Ag tapes determined by using various measuring techniques. First, the original samples have been characterized by electrical resistance, AC susceptibility, and DC magnetization. The transport (intergranular) critical current vs. magnetic field was also determined at T =77 K using pulsed currents up to 40 A. Next, the same combination of experiments was performed on bent tapes in order to bring out relevant information concerning the strength of the intergranular coupling. The results show that intergranular and intragranular currents differ by at least one order of magnitude. Finally, additional magnetic measurements were carried out in order to determine the anisotropy ratio J c ab / J c c , which was found to lie around 30.

Hard type-II hollow superconductors are well suited for low frequency magnetic shielding. The properties and performances of superconducting magnetic shields subjected to homogeneous magnetic fields have been extensively discussed in the literature. In the present work, we investigate the magnetic shielding and the penetration of magnetic flux in a bulk high temperature superconducting tube subjected to the inhomogeneous fringe field of a solenoidal coil. Thanks to a bespoke microdisplacement measurement system, we measure the magnetic field distribution around the tube. We develop a full 3D finite element model based on an H formulation to understand the flux penetration mechanisms and predict the shape of the current loops. Using constitutive law parameters obtained from previous independent experiments, our model is found to be in excellent agreement with the measurements. We discuss how to assess the degree of inhomogeneity of the magnetic field and show that, in our case study, the field can be treated as the magnetic field of an equivalent magnetic dipole. We also show that some features of the flux penetration in inhomogeneous field can be also observed when the tube is subjected to an oblique homogeneous magnetic field, which offers a better understanding of the shielding current density distribution inside the shield. Finally, we discuss the magnetic field concentration occurring around the shield for different magnetic field configurations. In particular, we show that the extremities of the tube on the side not facing the magnetic field source experience the highest flux concentration.

This work describes the design and realisation of an apparatus to measure simultaneously the AC magnetic properties and the temperature distribution on the top surface of bulk superconducting samples (up to 32 mm in diameter) in cryogenic conditions (temperature range 78-120 K). First the authors describe the experimental set-up used for simultaneous thermal and magnetic characterization of the sample. Next, the authors describe the practical considerations required for generating the large AC magnetic fields, possibly in the presence of DC fields. Then the authors present the data acquisition system allowing both temperature and magnetic data to be recorded at high a sampling rate.” The performances and limitations of the system are discussed.