Wide-range characterization of current conduction in high- Tc coated conductors

Abstract

The conduction of supercurrents in a short-segment state-of-the-art coated conductor prototype has been studied over ∼8 decades of dissipation. A combination of conventional transport methods, magnetometry in a swept magnetic field, and "flux creep" measurements was used to obtain current density J versus electric field E characteristics over a span E∼ 10-5 - 10-13 Vcm. The inductive measurements allow facile exploration of current conduction over a wide range of temperatures, magnetic fields, and dissipation levels where future applications are envisioned. © 2008 American Institute of Physics.