Effect of Co0.5Zn0.5Fe2O4 nanoparticle on AC susceptibility and electrical properties of YBa2Cu3O7-δ superconductor

Abstract

Magnetism and superconductivity are mutually exclusive phenomena and their interaction is an interesting topic to study. In this work the effect of Co0.5Zn0.5Fe2O4 (CZFO) nanoparticle with size 20-50 nm on YBa2Cu3O7-δ(YBCO) is reported. The samples were prepared using solid state reaction with starting composition YBa2Cu3O7-δ(Co0.5Zn0.5Fe2O4)x with x = 0 to 0.4 weight percent (wt. %). All samples exhibited single YBCO phase as shown from the XRD patterns. The grain size was reduced with CZFO addition. The transition temperature (Tc) from resistance measurements showed a slight increase from 90 K (x = 0) to 91 K (x = 0.1) followed by a suppression for x ≥ 0.2. The peak temperature, Tp of the imaginary part of the susceptibility χ", was around 79 to 76 K in the x = 0 to 0.3 samples. However, a drastic decrease to 60 K was observed in the x = 0.4 sample indicating weakening of intergrain coupling which resulted in coupling losses as CZFO was added. The x = 0.1 sample showed the highest Tc and the critical current density, Jc among all the samples studied. These results were compared with other materials addition to YBa2Cu3O7-δ.