Bulk ceramic superconductor structures

• US 5,795,849 A
• Filed: 06/07/1995
• Issued: 08/18/1998
• Est. Priority Date: 12/21/1987
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Paul L. Hickman
• Original Assignee: Paul L. Hickman
• Inventors: Hickman, Paul L.
• Primary Examiner(s): King, Roy V.
• Application Number:
  US08/477,671
• Time in Patent Office: 1,168 Days
• Field of Search: 505/234, 505/237, 505/238, 505/230, 505/329, 505/330, 505/470, 505/725, 427/62, 427/63
• US Class Current: 505/329
• CPC Class Codes: H10N 60/0268 of devices comprising copper oxide
• CPC Class Codes: H10N 60/858 Multi-layered structures, e.g. superlattices
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 505/725 Process of making or treating high tc, above 30 k, superconducting shaped material, article, or device

Abstract

A method for producing a superconductor assembly includes preparing a first bulk ceramic superconductor having a first essentially random pattern of superconductor domains of a copper-oxide ceramic superconductor and non-superconductor domains at a critical temperature, and preparing a second bulk ceramic superconductor having a second essentially random pattern of superconductor domains of a copper-oxide ceramic superconductor and non-superconductor domains at the critical temperature. The method further includes juxtaposing a first surface of the first bulk ceramic superconductor proximate with a first surface of the second bulk ceramic superconductor to form a superconductor assembly where superconductor domains of the first bulk ceramic superconductor and superconductor domains of the second bulk ceramic superconductor are only randomly aligned due to the different first essentially random pattern and second essentially random pattern. The bulk layers can be attached together by a number of techniques, including sintering, using an adhesive, or providing a conductive or non-conductive interlayer.

Claims

1. A method for producing a superconductor structure comprising:

preparing a first bulk ceramic superconductor having a first essentially random pattern of superconductor domains of a copper-oxide ceramic superconductor and non-superconductor domains at a temperature, said first bulk ceramic superconductor having a first surface;

preparing a second bulk ceramic superconductor having a second essentially random pattern of superconductor domains of a copper-oxide ceramic superconductor and non-superconductor domains at said temperature, said second bulk ceramic superconductor having a second surface;

juxtaposing said first surface and said second surface of said first bulk ceramic superconductor and said second bulk ceramic superconductor, respectively; and

sintering together said first and second surfaces of said first bulk ceramic superconductor and said second bulk ceramic superconductor, respectively, such that a superconductor structure is produced;

whereby, when said superconductor structure is positioned with respect to a magnetic field comprising multiple flux lines such that a magnetic flux line of said magnetic field is not parallel to said first and second surfaces and such that said magnetic flux line penetrates through said one of said bulk ceramic superconductors due to its first essentially random pattern of superconductor domains and non-superconductor domains, that said flux line is reflected by a superconductor domain of the other bulk ceramic superconductor due to their differing essentially random patterns of superconductor domains and non-superconductor domains.

2. A method as recited in claim 1 further comprising forming via holes at least partially through said first bulk superconductor and said second bulk superconductor, and filling said via holes with a non-insulating material.

3. A method as recited in claim 1 further comprising forming at least one additional bulk superconductor in addition to said first bulk superconductor and said second bulk superconductor, said additional bulk superconductor having another essentially random pattern of superconductor and non-superconductor domains, and juxtaposing said at least one additional bulk superconductor proximate to at least one of said first bulk superconductor and said second bulk superconductor, said additional bulk superconductor forming a part of said superconductor structure.

4. A method as recited in claim 3 further comprising forming a non-superconductor layer between said additional bulk superconductor and at least one of said first bulk superconductor and said second bulk superconductor.

5. A method as recited in claim 4 further comprising forming via holes at least partially through said first bulk superconductor, said second bulk superconductor, and said non-superconductor layer, and filing said via holes with a non-insulating material.

6. A method as recited in claim 1 wherein said first bulk ceramic superconductor and said second bulk ceramic superconductor are disk shaped.

7. A method for making a ceramic superconductor structure comprising:

forming a first bulk ceramic superconductor of a copper-oxide superconductor with a first essentially random pattern of superconductor domains and non-superconductor domains;

forming a conductor over said first bulk ceramic superconductor, said conductor including at least one of copper and silver; and

forming a second bulk ceramic superconductor of said copper-oxide superconductor over said conductor to form a sandwich structure, said second bulk ceramic superconductor having a second essentially random pattern of superconductor domains and non-superconductor domains that is different from said first pattern, whereby superconductor domains of said first bulk ceramic superconductor and said superconductor domains of said second bulk ceramic superconductor are aligned only by chance in a direction normal to said first surface and to said second surface due to said different first pattern and second pattern.

8. A method as recited in claim 7 wherein said first bulk superconductor and said second bulk superconductor are formed separately, and then later juxtaposed.

9. A method as recited in claim 7 wherein said first bulk superconductor is formed first, said conductor is formed second over said first bulk superconductor, and said second bulk superconductor is formed third over said conductor.

10. A method as recited in claim 7 further comprising forming vias between said first bulk ceramic superconductor and said second bulk ceramic superconductor.

11. A method for producing a superconductor structure comprising:

preparing a first bulk superconductor having a first essentially random pattern of copper-oxide superconductor and non-superconductor domains at a temperature and having a first surface;

preparing a second bulk superconductor having a second essentially random pattern of copper oxide superconductor and non-superconductor domains at said temperature and having a second surface; and

mechanically and electrically coupling said first surface to said second surface by a process including at least one of sintering said first surface to said second surface and providing a conductive layer including a metal selected from the group consisting of copper and silver, such that said first surface faces said second surface, whereby superconductor domains of one of said first bulk superconductor and said second bulk superconductor can randomly cover at least some non-superconductor domains of the other of said first bulk superconductor and said second bulk superconductor due to differences in said different first essentially random pattern and second essentially random pattern;

whereby, when said superconductor structure is positioned with respect to a magnetic field comprising multiple flux lines such that a magnetic flux line of said magnetic field is not parallel to said first and second surfaces and such that said magnetic flux line penetrates through said one of said bulk ceramic superconductors due to its first essentially random pattern of superconductor domains and non-superconductor domains, that said flux line is reflected by a superconductor domain of the other bulk ceramic superconductor due to their differing essentially random patterns of superconductor domains and non-superconductor domains.

12. A method as recited in claim 11 further comprising providing a substrate to which at least a precursor of said bulk ceramic superconductor is applied.

13. A method as recited in claim 12 wherein said substrate comprises <

100>

oriented SrTiO₃.

14. A method as recited in claim 11 wherein said first bulk superconductor and said second bulk superconductor are disk shaped.

15. A method as recited in claim 11 wherein said first bulk ceramic superconductor and said second bulk ceramic superconductor are disk shaped.

16. A method for producing a superconductor assembly comprising:

preparing a first bulk ceramic superconductor having a first essentially random pattern of superconductor domains of a copper-oxide ceramic superconductor and non-superconductor domains at a critical temperature, said first bulk ceramic superconductor having a first surface and a second surface;

preparing a second bulk ceramic superconductor having a second essentially random pattern of superconductor domains of a copper-oxide ceramic superconductor and non-superconductor domains at said critical temperature, said second bulk ceramic superconductor having a first surface and a second surface; and

juxtaposing said first surface of said first bulk ceramic superconductor proximate with said first surface of said second bulk ceramic superconductor to form a superconductor assembly where superconductor domains of said first bulk ceramic superconductor and superconductor domains of said second bulk ceramic superconductor are only randomly aligned due to said different first essentially random pattern and second essentially random pattern;

whereby, when said superconductor assembly is positioned with respect to a field such that a flux line of said field penetrates through said first bulk ceramic superconductor, that said flux line is be prevented from penetrating said second bulk ceramic superconductor.

17. A method as recited in claim 16 further comprising fixing the juxtaposed position of said first bulk ceramic superconductor and said second bulk ceramic superconductor such that said superconductor assembly is moved as a unit.

18. A method as recited in claim 17 further comprising cooling said superconductor assembly to said critical temperature such that superconductor domains of said superconductor structure are superconducting.

19. A method as recited in claim 18 further comprising moving said superconductor assembly relative to an object affected by said superconductor assembly.

20. A method as recited in claim 17 wherein said fixing the juxtaposed position includes mechanically fixing said first bulk ceramic superconductor relative to said second bulk ceramic superconductor.

21. A method as recited in claim 17 wherein said fixing the juxtaposed position includes sintering said first bulk ceramic superconductor to said second bulk ceramic superconductor.

22. A method as recited in claim 17 wherein said fixing the juxtaposed position includes providing a bonding between said first bulk ceramic superconductor to said second bulk ceramic superconductor.

23. A method as recited in claim 22 wherein said bonding is an adhesive layer.

24. A method as recited in claim 22 wherein said bonding is a conductive layer.

25. A method as recited in claim 24 wherein said conductive layer includes at least one of silver and copper.

26. A method as recited in claim 22 wherein said bonding is a non-conductive layer.

27. A method as recited in claim 26 wherein said non-conductive layer is an adhesive layer.

28. A method as recited in claim 16 further comprising:

preparing a third bulk ceramic superconductor having a first surface and having a third essentially random pattern of superconductor domains of a copper-oxide ceramic superconductor and non-superconductor domains at said critical temperature; and

juxtaposing said first surface of said third bulk ceramic superconductor proximate to said second surface of said second bulk ceramic superconductor to form a part of said superconductor assembly where superconductor domains of said first bulk ceramic superconductor, superconductor domains of said second bulk ceramic superconductor, and superconductor domains of said third bulk ceramic superconductor are only randomly aligned due to said different first essentially random pattern, second essentially random pattern, and said third essentially random pattern.