Atle Jorstad Qviller

Very strong intrinsic flux pinning and vortex avalanches in (Ba,K)Fe2As2 superconducting single crystals

We report that the (Ba,K)Fe2As2 crystal with Tc =3 2 K shows a pinning potential, U0, as high as 104 K, with U0 showing very little field dependence. The (Ba,K)Fe2As2 single crystals become isotropic at low temperatures and high magnetic fields, resulting in a very rigid vortex lattice, even in fields very close to Hc2. The isotropic rigid vortices observed in the two-dimensional (2D) (Ba,K)Fe2As2 distinguish this compound from 2D high-Tc cuprate superconductors with 2D vortices. The vortex avalanches were also observed at low temperatures in the (Ba,K)Fe2As2 crystal. It is proposed that it is the K substitution that induces both almost isotropic superconductivity and the very strong intrinsic pinning in the (Ba,K)Fe2As2 crystal.

Nanosecond voltage pulses from dendritic flux avalanches in superconducting NbN films

Combined voltage and magneto-optical study of magnetic flux flow in superconducting NbN films is reported. The nanosecond-scale voltage pulses appearing during thermomagnetic avalanches have been recorded in films partially coated by a metal layer. Simultaneous magneto-optical imaging and voltage measurements allowed the pulses to be associated with individual flux branches penetrating the superconductor below the metal coating. From detailed characteristics of pulse and flux branches, the electrical field in the superconductor is found to be in the range of 5-50 kV/m, while the propagation speed of the avalanche during its final stage is found to be close to 5 km/s.

Thermo-magnetic stability of superconducting films controlled by nano-morphology

Appearance of dendritic magnetic flux avalanches in superconducting films, which are associated with thermo-magnetic instability (TMI), very often indicates serious limitations for the ultimate performance of superconducting devices made of type-II superconducting thin films. We demonstrate that the stability can be controlled by a thorough adjustment of samples morphology at nano-scale, which affects internal material parameters. By this, the metal coating, commonly used as for stabilization, becomes redundant. Most importantly, we directly show by the mean of magneto-optical imaging that introduction of nano-scaled disorder dramatically changes the mode of magnetic flux propagation in the superconductors, from uniform motion of individual vortices to correlated jumps of relatively large vortex bundles, revealing the triggering mechanism of TMI.

Thermal stability of photovoltaic a-Si:H determined by neutron reflectometry

Neutron and X-ray reflectometry were used to determine the layer structure and hydrogen content of thin films of amorphous silicon (a-Si:H) deposited onto crystalline silicon (Si) wafers for surface passivation in solar cells. The combination of these two reflectometry techniques is well suited for non-destructive probing of the structure of a-Si:H due to being able to probe buried interfaces and having sub-nanometer resolution. Neutron reflectometry is also unique in its ability to allow determination of density gradients of light elements such as hydrogen (H). The neutron scattering contrast between Si and H is strong, making it possible to determine the H concentration in the deposited a-Si:H. In order to correlate the surface passivation properties supplied by the a-Si:H thin films, as quantified by obtainable effective minority carrier lifetime, photoconductance measurements were also performed. It is shown that the minority carrier lifetime falls sharply when H has been desorbed from a-Si:H by annealing.

Local transport in multi-filamentary superconductors: longitudinal versus transverse dissipation

Little is known on the electrical properties of superconducting tapes and coatings in the direction transverse to the long dimension of the composite. However, transverse dissipation can eventually determine the fate of a transmission line in the case of failure due to the presence of transversal cracks, and is also crucial in the AC regime. In this paper we present a detailed experimental study of the electrical transport properties along the transverse direction of Bi2Sr2Ca2Cu3O10+x-Ag tapes, and compare them with those measured along the long axis of the material. We study in detail the influence of the tapes microstructure on electrical properties along both directions by using sliding electrodes. Our measurements suggest that there is always dissipation in the transverse direction for any value of the current. We also demonstrate that the local dissipation in the transverse direction has a nontrivial correlation with the local density of superconducting filaments.

Dendritic flux avalanches in a superconducting MgB2 tape

MgB2 tapes with high critical current have a significant technological potential, but can experience operational breakdown due to thermomagnetic instability. Using magneto-optical imaging the spatial structure of the thermomagnetic avalanches has been resolved, and the reproducibility and thresholds for their appearance have been determined. By combining magneto-optical imaging with magnetic moment measurements, it is found that avalanches appear in a range between 1.7 mT and 2.5 T. Avalanches appearing at low fields are small intrusions at the tapes edge and non-detectable in measurements of magnetic moment. Larger avalanches have dendritic structures.

Energy of dendritic avalanches in thin-film superconductors

A method for calculating stored magnetic energy in a thin superconducting film based on quantitative magneto-optical imaging is developed. Energy and magnetic moment are determined with these calculations for full hysteresis loops in a thin film of the superconductor NbN. Huge losses in energy are observed when dendritic avalanches occur. Magnetic energy, magnetic moment, sheet current and magnetic flux distributions, all extracted from the same calibrated magneto-optical images, are analyzed and discussed. Dissipated energy and the loss in moment when dendritic avalanches occur are related to each other. Calculating these losses for specific spatially-resolved flux avalanches is a great advantage, because of their unpredictable and non-reproducible nature. The relative losses in energy are much higher than the relative losses in moment.A method for calculating stored magnetic energy in a thin superconducting film based on quantitative magneto-optical imaging is developed. Energy and magnetic moment are determined with these calculations for full hysteresis loops in a thin film of the superconductor NbN. Huge losses in energy are observed when dendritic avalanches occur. Magnetic energy, magnetic moment, sheet current and magnetic flux distributions, all extracted from the same calibrated magneto-optical images, are analyzed and discussed. Dissipated energy and the loss in moment when dendritic avalanches occur are related to each other. Calculating these losses for specific spatially-resolved flux avalanches is a great advantage, because of their unpredictable and non-reproducible nature. The relative losses in energy are much higher than the relative losses in moment.