Room Temperature Electrochemical Synthesis of Hg-1212 Superconducting Thin Films

TL;DR

This paper reports the first room temperature electrochemical synthesis of Hg-1212 superconducting thin films, optimizing parameters to control oxygen content and superconducting properties.

Contribution

A novel two-step electrochemical method for synthesizing Hg-1212 superconducting films at room temperature is introduced, with detailed parameter optimization and property analysis.

Findings

Films achieved Tc of 104.7 K and Jc of 1.437 x 10^3 A/cm^2.

Superconducting properties depend on oxygen content and microstructure.

Optimized electrochemical oxidation enhances superconducting performance.

Abstract

In the present investigation, the novel two-step electrochemical process of room temperature synthesis of Hg-1212 superconducting films has been developed and reported first time. Electrochemical parameters were optimized by studying cyclic voltammetry (CV), linear sweep voltammetry (LSV) and chronoamperometry (CA) for the deposition of Hg-Ba-Ca-Cu alloy at room temperature. Current time transient showed progressive growth with hemispheriodal granules, which were then revealed by scanning electron microscopy (SEM). Stoichiometric electrocrystallization to get Hg1Ba2Ca1Cu2O6+x (Hg-1212) was completed by electrochemically intercalating oxygen species into Hg-Ba-Ca-Cu alloy at room temperature. The oxygen content in the samples was varied by varying the electrochemical oxidation period and the changes in the crystal structure, microstructure, and superconducting transition temperature (Tc) and critical current density (Jc) were recorded. The films oxidized for 28 min showed Tc = 104.7 K with Jc = 1.437 x 103 A/cm2. The dependence of superconducting parameters on oxygen content is correlated with structure property relations and reported in this paper.