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Electron‐irradiation‐induced effects on high‐ T c superconductors analysed by high‐resolution Auger electron spectroscopy
Author(s) -
Seibt E. W.,
Zalar A.
Publication year - 1992
Publication title -
surface and interface analysis
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 0.52
H-Index - 90
eISSN - 1096-9918
pISSN - 0142-2421
DOI - 10.1002/sia.740190167
Subject(s) - auger electron spectroscopy , analytical chemistry (journal) , electron beam processing , irradiation , spectroscopy , chemistry , electron , electron energy loss spectroscopy , electron spectroscopy , copper , materials science , metallurgy , physics , chromatography , quantum mechanics , nuclear physics
The change in the surface and bulk compositions of high‐ T c BiPbSrCaCuO and YBaCuO system superconductors caused by electron beam irradiation at room temperature have been investigated using high‐resolution Auger electron spectroscopy (AES). Electrons of energies between 5 and 15 keV were used to study energy‐dependent decomposition phenomena for a wide range of electron radiation doses up to a maximum value of above 10 28 electrons m −2 . Additionally, irradiations with focused electron beams were carried out on silver‐sheathed Bi 1.7 Pb 0.3 Sr 2 Ca 2 Cu 3 O 10.2 /10 wt.% Ag tape samples with relatively high critical current densities [ j c (0 T, 77 K) = 3.3 × 10 8 A m −2 ] in order to investigate the radiation‐induced effects on surface and bulk compositions by AES multiplex and sputter depth‐profiling techniques. The results indicate that there are significant changes in composition of the BiPbSrCaCuO samples up to concentration values of about 10 at.% for oxygen and about 12 and 15 at.% for calcium and copper respectively, whereas only small irradiation‐induced decomposition effects are observed for YBaCuO single–crystal and thin film superconductors.