Jean-François Fagnard

Magnetocaloric effect in nano- and polycrystalline manganite La0.7Ca0.3MnO3

La0.7Ca0.3MnO3 samples were prepared in nano- and polycrystalline forms by the sol–gel and solid state reaction methods, respectively, and structurally characterized by synchrotron X-ray diffraction. The magnetic properties determined by ac susceptibility and dc magnetization measurements are discussed. The magnetocaloric effect in this nanocrystalline manganite is spread over a broader temperature interval than in the polycrystalline case. The relative cooling power of the poly- and nanocrystalline manganites is used to evaluate a possible application for magnetic cooling below room temperature.

Magnetocaloric and transport study of poly- and nanocrystalline composite manganites La0.7Ca0.3MnO3/La0.8Sr0.2MnO3

Magnetocaloric and transport properties are reported for novel poly- and nanocrystalline double composite manganites, La0.8Sr0.2MnO3/La0.7Ca0.3MnO3, prepared by the sol-gel method. Magnetic field dependence of magnetic entropy change is found to be stronger for the nano- than the polycrystalline composite. The remarkable broadening of the temperature interval, where the magnetocaloric effect occurs in poly- and nanocrystalline composites, causes the relative cooling power (RCP(S)) of the nanocrystalline composite to be reduced by only 10% compared to the Sr based polycrystalline phase. The RCP(S) of the polycrystalline composite becomes remarkably enhanced. The low temperature magnetoresistance is enhanced by 5% for the nanostructured composite.

Spin-cluster effect and lattice-deformation-induced kondo effect, spin-glass freezing, and strong phonon scattering in La0.7Ca0.3Mn1-xCrxO3

Besides the Kondo effect observed in dilute magnetic alloys, the Cr-doped perovskite manganate compounds La0.7Ca0.3Mn1−xCrxO3 also exhibit Kondo effect and spin-glass freezing in a certain composition range. An extensive investigation for the La0.7Ca0.3Mn1−xCrxO3 (x=0.01, 0.05, 0.10, 0.3, 0.6, and 1.0) system on the magnetization and ac susceptibility, the resistivity and magnetoresistance, as well as the thermal conductivity is done at low temperature. The spin-glass behavior has been confirmed for these compounds with x=0.05, 0.1, and 0.3. For temperatures above Tf (the spin-glass freezing temperature) a Curie–Weiss law is obeyed. The paramagnetic Curie temperature θ is dependent on Cr doping. Below Tf there exists a Kondo minimum in the resistivity. Colossal magnetoresistance has been observed in this system with Cr concentration up to x=0.6. We suppose that the substitution of Mn with Cr dilutes Mn ions and changes the long-range ferromagnetic order of La0.7Ca0.3MnO3. These behaviors demonstrate that ...

Numerical Study of the Shielding Properties of Macroscopic Hybrid Ferromagnetic/Superconductor Hollow Cylinders

We study the magnetic shielding properties of hybrid ferromagnetic/superconductor (F/S) structures consisting of two coaxial cylinders, with one of each material. We use an axisymmetric finite-element model in which the electrical properties of the superconducting tube are modeled by a nonlinear E-J power law with a magnetic-field-dependent critical current density whereas the magnetic properties of the ferromagnetic material take saturation into account. We study and compare the penetration of a uniform axial magnetic field in two cases: 1) a ferromagnetic tube placed inside a larger superconducting tube (Ferro-In configuration) and 2) a ferromagnetic tube placed outside the superconducting one (Ferro-Out configuration). In both cases, we assess how the ferromagnetic tube improves the shielding properties of the sole superconducting tube. The influence of the geometrical parameters of the ferromagnetic tube is also studied: It is shown that, upon an optimal choice of the geometrical parameters, the range of magnetic fields that are efficiently shielded by the high-temperature superconductor tube alone can be increased by a factor of up to 7 (2) in a Ferro-Out (Ferro-In) configuration. The optimal configuration uses a 1020 carbon steel with a thickness of 2 mm and a height that is half that of the superconducting cylinder (80 mm).

Magnetocaloric effect and magnetic properties of Tb0.9Sn0.1MnO3

The magnetocaloric effect in magnetic materials is of great interest nowadays. In this article we present an investigation about the magnetic properties near the magnetic transition in a polycrystalline sample of a manganite Tb0.9Sn0.1MnO3. Particularly, we are interested in describing the nature of the magnetic interactions and the magnetocaloric effect in this compound. The temperature dependence of the magnetization was measured to determine the characteristics of the magnetic transition and the magnetic entropy change was calculated from magnetization curves at different temperatures. The magnetic solid is paramagnetic at high temperatures. We observe a dominant antiferromagnetic interaction below Tn=38 K for low applied magnetic fields; the presence of Sn doping in this compound decreases the Neel temperature of the pure TbMnO3 system. A drastic increase in the magnetization as a function of temperature near the magnetic transition suggests a strong magnetocaloric effect. We found a large magnetic en...

Influence of soft ferromagnetic sections on the magnetic flux density profile of a large grain, bulk Y-Ba-Cu-O superconductor

Bulk, high temperature superconductors have significant potential for use as powerful permanent magnets in a variety of practical applications due to their ability to trap record magnetic fields. In this paper, soft ferromagnetic sections are combined with a bulk, large grain Y–Ba–Cu–O high temperature superconductor to form superconductor/ferromagnet hybrid structures. We study how the ferromagnetic sections influence the shape of the profile of the trapped magnetic induction at the surface of each structure and report the surface magnetic flux density measured by Hall probe mapping. These configurations have been modelled using a 2D axisymmetric finite element method based on the H -formulation and the results show excellent qualitative and quantitative agreement with the experimental measurements. The model has also been used to study the magnetic flux distribution and predict the behaviour for other constitutive laws and geometries. The results show that the ferromagnetic material acts as a magnetic shield, but the flux density and its gradient are enhanced on the face opposite to the ferromagnet. The thickness and saturation magnetization of the ferromagnetic material are important and a characteristic ferromagnet thickness d* is derived: below d*, saturation of the ferromagnet occurs, and above d*, a weak thickness-dependence is observed. The influence of the ferromagnet is observed even if its saturation magnetization is lower than the trapped flux density of the superconductor. Conversely, thin ferromagnetic discs can be driven to full saturation even though the outer magnetic field is much smaller than their saturation magnetization.

Magnetization of 2-G Coils and Artificial Bulks

The use of (Re)BCO is limited by the problems of magnetization/demagnetization. (Re)BCO is available in many forms, but two of the most interesting for high magnetic field applications are 2-G tape and bulks (either or as grown or manufactured artificially using 2-G tapes). The minimum joint resistance that can be achieved between YBCO tapes is on the order of 100 nΩ, but this is still too large to operate coils in persistent mode. Bulks have potential to act as very high field magnets, but in order to do this, they need to be magnetized. This paper describes flux pumping methods, which can be used to charge either coils or bulks.

Use of second generation coated conductors for efficient shielding of dc magnetic fields

Abstract : This paper reports the results of an experimental investigation of the performance of two types of magnetic screens assembled from YBa2Cu3O7-delta; (YBCO) coated conductors. Since effective screening of the axial dc magnetic field requires the unimpeded flow of an azimuthal persistent current, we demonstrate a configuration of a screening shell made out of standard YBCO coated conductor capable to accomplish that. The screen allows the persistent current to flow in the predominantly azimuthal direction at a temperature of 77 K. The persistent screen, incorporating a single layer of superconducting film, can attenuate an external magnetic field of up to 5 mT by more than an order of magnitude. For comparison purposes, another type of screen which incorporates low critical temperature quasipersistent joints was also built. The shielding technique we describe here appears to be especially promising for the realization of large scale high-T(sub c) superconducting screens.

Investigation of DyBa2CU3O7-d superconducting domains grown by the infiltration technique starting with small size Dy-211 particles

An infiltration and growth process is here used as an alternative to the classical top-seeded melt-textured growth process for the production of Dy-123 single-domains with finely dispersed small size Dy-211 particles. The starting materials are the 211-particles and a barium and copper rich liquid phase precursor. The infiltration and growth process allows for controlling both the spatial and size distribution of the 211-particles in the final superconducting 123-single-domain. The main parameters (set-ups, maximum processing temperature with respect to the peritectic temperature, nature of reactant, porosity of the 211-preform) of the infiltration and growth process are discussed. Moreover, different processes of chimie douce are shown in order to produce Dy-211 particles with controlled shape and size, particles that can be used as precursors for the infiltration and growth process.

Magnetic properties of drilled bulk high-temperature superconductors filled with a ferromagnetic powder

It is shown that filling the holes of a drilled bulk high-temperature superconductor (HTS) with a soft ferromagnetic powder enhances its trapping properties. The magnetic properties of the trapped field magnet are characterized by Hall probe mapping and magnetization measurements. This analysis is completed by a numerical model based on a 3D finite-element method where the conductivity of the superconducting material is described by a power law while the permeability of the ferromagnetic material is fixed to a given value and is considered uniform. Numerical results support the experimental observations. In particular, they confirm the increase of trapped flux that is observed with Hall probe mapping after impregnation.