Texturation of NdBa2Cu3Oy bars under air in a vertical Bridgman furnace

Nd123 bars were textured using the melt texturing growth process in a vertical furnace by the floating zone method. Different applied growth rates were tested, from 1 to 4 mm/h, combined with different secondary phases additions (Nd4Ba2Cu2O5 and Nd3.6Ba2.2Cu1.9Oy,). Nd123 single-domains were obtained independently of the tested conditions and correlation between process conditions (composition, growth rate), microstructure and superconducting properties were investigated. An optimized T-c (96 K) with a sharp transition is obtained without Ar annealing at high temperature generally necessary to recover the optimal T-c. This attractive result is linked with the process used. J(c) curves were measured and results were discussed in relation with process conditions. (C) 2001 Elsevier Science B.V. All rights reserved.