Spatial distribution of the local resistive transition and the critical current density in YBCO coated conductors using Low-temperature Scanning Laser Microscopy

Low-temperature Scanning Laser Microscopy (LTSLM) was carried out to reveal the spatial distribution of the local resistive transition temperature and the local current density in commercial YBCO coated conductors near the superconducting transition. The result of the sample with an array of holes of various sizes shows that the signal δV is proportional to the current density. The distribution of the critical temperature of the sample with two parallel bridges is quite homogeneous and the transport current flows mainly along the outer edge of the sample. Using LTSLM we directly image the current path in YBCO coated conductors of different patterns.