Superconductor Article with Directional Flux Pinning

Abstract

A method and composition for doped HTS tapes having directional flux pinning and critical current.

What is claimed: 
     
         1 . A superconducting tape comprising:
 a superconductor comprising:
 copper; and 
 at least two rare earth metals with unequal content and comprises a ratio of total rare earth metals content to copper content of at least 1.5:3; 
 wherein the superconductor has a critical current retention factor at 77 K greater than about 90% in response to a magnetic field of about 0.1 T applied about parallel to the superconducting tape. 
   
     
     
         2 . The superconducting tape of  claim 1 , wherein the superconducting tape comprises a plurality of nanocolumns oriented perpendicular to the surface of the superconducting tape. 
     
     
         3 . The superconducting tape of  claim 1 , wherein the at least two rare-earth metals content comprises at least two of Gd, Y, Sm, Nd, Eu, Dy, Ho, Er or Yb. 
     
     
         4 . The superconducting tape of  claim 1 , wherein the at least two rare-earth metals content comprises Y and one of Sm or Gd. 
     
     
         5 . The superconducting tape of  claim 1 , wherein the superconductor comprises at least one dopant comprising Zr, Ta, Hf, Sn, Nb, Ti or Ce, and wherein the dopant content to copper content ratio comprises at least about 0.05 dopant to at least about 3 copper. 
     
     
         6 . A superconducting tape comprising:
 a superconductor comprising:
 copper; and 
 at least two rare earth metals with unequal content and comprises a ratio of total rare earth metals content to copper content of at least 1.5:3; 
 wherein the superconductor has a critical current retention factor at 77 K greater than about 50% in response to a magnetic field of about 0.5 T applied about parallel to the superconducting tape. 
   
     
     
         7 . The superconducting tape of  claim 6 , wherein the superconducting tape comprises a plurality of nanocolumns oriented perpendicular to the surface of the superconducting tape. 
     
     
         8 . The superconducting tape of  claim 6 , wherein the at least two rare-earth metals content comprises at least two of Gd, Y, Sm, Nd, Eu, Dy, Ho, Er or Yb. 
     
     
         9 . The superconducting tape of  claim 6 , wherein the at least two rare-earth metals content comprises Y and one of Sm or Gd. 
     
     
         10 . The superconducting tape of  claim 6 , wherein the superconductor comprises at least one dopant comprising Zr, Ta, Hf, Sn, Nb, Ti or Ce, and wherein the dopant content to copper content ratio comprises at least about 0.05 dopant to at least about 3 copper. 
     
     
         11 . A superconducting tape comprising:
 a superconductor comprising:
 copper; and 
 at least two rare earth metals with unequal content and comprises a ratio of total rare earth metals content to copper content of at least 1.5:3; 
 wherein the superconductor has a critical current retention factor at 77 K greater than about 30% in response to a magnetic field of about 1 T applied about parallel to the superconducting tape. 
   
     
     
         12 . The superconducting tape of  claim 11 , wherein the superconducting tape comprises a plurality of nanocolumns oriented perpendicular to the surface of the superconducting tape. 
     
     
         13 . The superconducting tape of  claim 11 , wherein the at least two rare-earth metals content comprises at least two of Gd, Y, Sm, Nd, Eu, Dy, Ho, Er or Yb. 
     
     
         14 . The superconducting tape of  claim 11 , wherein the at least two rare-earth metals content comprises Y and one of Sm or Gd. 
     
     
         15 . The superconducting tape of  claim 11 , wherein the superconductor comprises at least one dopant comprising Zr, Ta, Hf, Sn, Nb, Ti or Ce, and wherein the dopant content to copper content ratio comprises at least about 0.05 dopant to at least about 3 copper.