Year: 2025
Type: article
Abstract: O7-δ thin films were investigated by conducting 1.7 MeV proton irradiations with a total fluence of 2.64×1017p/cm2. The superconducting critical temperature (Tc) was reduced from 89.4 K to 10.1 K. The experimental procedure was similar to a previous study (0.6 MeV proton irradiation). We compared the effectiveness of Tc suppression by varying the proton energy from 0.6 to 1.7 MeV and found that in general both protons of 1.7 MeV and 0.6 MeV were effective in suppressing the Tc of YBCO. In particular, both results were consistent with the theoretical expectation (generalized d-wave AG theory) when a zero-temperature London penetration depth (λ0) = 215 nm is assumed for thin-film YBCO. For heavily irradiated cases (more than 80% Tc suppression), however, 1.7 MeV protons were more effective in suppressing Tc than 0.6 MeV protons. This can be understood by the fact that in the thin-film limit, higher-energy protons tend to produce less clustered point defects while lower-energy protons tend to create agglomeration of point defects.
Source: Materials
DOI: 10.3390/ma18214845
Institution: Hope College
Language: English
Subfield: Condensed Matter Physics
Field: Physics and Astronomy
Domain: Physical Sciences
Open Access status: gold
Estimated APC paid: $3,137
Awards: MRI/RUI: Acquisition of a Nuclear Microprobe System for Interdisciplinary Research and the Integration of Research and Undergraduate Education at Hope College, G1854895016, RUI: Nuclear Science with Undergraduate Researchers: Studies of Nuclei at the Extremes and New Applications of Nuclear Techniques, G673193867
OpenAlex ID: W4415465584