THERMAL-STABILITY OF CERAMIC SUPERCONDUCTORS

The critical current of high-temperature ceramic superconductors measured by transport current methods is more strongly dependent upon cooling mechanisms and sample geometry than that of low-temperature superconductors because of their anisotropy and lower thermal conductivity. This work relates the critical current of conductors to the local cooling condition, geometry, and properties via a superconductor stability theory. The critical current is predicted to be strongly dependent upon these parameters. LHe cooling does not necessarily increase stability and critical transport current when compared to LN2 cooling.