Influence of microstructures and crystalline defects on the superconductivity of MgB2

This work studies the influence of microstructures and crystalline defects on the superconductivity of MgB2, with the objective to improve its flux pinning. A MgB2 sample pellet that was hot isostatic pressed (HIPed) was found to have significantly increased critical current density (J(c)) at higher fields than its un-HIPed counterpart. The HIPed sample had a J(c) of 10 000 A/cm(2) in 50 000 Oe (5 T) at 5 K. This was 20 times higher than that of the un-HIPed sample, and the same as the best J(c) reported by other research groups. Microstructures observed in scanning and transmission electron microscopy indicate that the HIP process eliminated porosity present in the MgB2 pellet resulting in an improved intergrain connectivity. Such improvement in intergrain connectivity was believed to prevent the steep J(c) drop with magnetic field H that occurred in the un-HIPed MgB2 pellet at H>45 000 Oe(4.5 T) and T=5 K. The HIP process was also found to disperse the MgO that existed at the grain boundaries of the un-HIPed MgB2 pellet and to generate more dislocations in the pellets. These dispersed MgO particles and dislocations improved flux pinning also at H<45 000 Oe. The HIPing process was also found to lower the resistivity at room temperature. (C) 2002 American Institute of Physics.