Bulk textured rare earth-Ba2Cu3O7- delta prepared by solidification in a magnetic field

Experiments are reported in which single-crystal grains of rare earth-Ba2Cu3O7- delta (R-123) have been aligned in liquid silver by a magnetic field. They demonstrate that there exists a significant anisotropy in the paramagnetic susceptibility of many R-123 superconducting oxides close to their peritectic decomposition temperature. A magnetic field has also been used to induce and control the direction of alignment within bulk Y-123 and Er-123 material. The authors report magnetization versus field measurements, and observations made using X-ray spectroscopy and scanning electron microscopy which have been used to characterize the nature and degree of alignment obtained. Magnetic field texturing offers an alternative technique for producing bulk textured high-Tc superconductors, in which the direction of preferred orientation can be easily controlled.