Abstract
Restricted deposits of fossil fuels and ecological problems created by their extensive use require a transition to renewable energy resources and clean fuel free from emissions of CO2. This fuel is likely to be liquid hydrogen. An important feature of liquid hydrogen is that it allows wide use of superconductivity. Superconductors provide compactness, high efficiency, savings in energy and a range of new applications not possible with other materials. The benefits of superconductivity justify use of low temperatures and facilitate development of fossil-free energy economy. The widespread use of superconductors requires a simple and reliable technique to monitor their properties. Magneto-optical imaging (MOI) is currently the only direct technique allowing visualization of the superconducting properties of materials. We report the application of this technique to key superconducting materials suitable for the hydrogen economy: MgB2 and high temperature superconductors (HTS) in bulk and thin-film form. The study shows that the MOI technique is well suited to the study of these materials. It demonstrates the advantage of HTS at liquid hydrogen temperatures and emphasizes the benefits of MgB2, in particular.
Similar content being viewed by others
References
Jooss, Ch., Albrecht, J., Kuhn, H., Leonhardt, S., Kronmüller, H.: Magneto-optical studies of current distributions in high-T c superconductors. Rep. Prog. Phys. 65, 651–788 (2002)
Mikheenko, P.: Superconductivity for hydrogen economy. J. Phys. Conf. Ser. 286, 012014 (2011)
Uspenskaya, L.S., Vlasko-Vlasov, V., Nikitenko, V., Johanson, T.: Magneto-optical studies of magnetization of melt-processed YBaCuO. Phys. Rev. B 56, 11979–11988 (1997)
Gaevski, M.E., Bobyl, A.V., Shantsev, D.V., Galperin, Y.M., Johansen, T.H., Baziljevich, M., Bratsberg, H., Karmanenko, S.F.: Magneto-optical study of magnetic-flux penetration into a current-carrying high-temperature-superconductor strip. Phys. Rev. B 59, 9655–9664 (1999)
Bobyl, A.V., Shantsev, D.V., Galperin, Y.M., Karmanenko, S.F., Baziljevich, M., Johansen, T.H.: Relaxation of transport current distribution in a YBaCuO strip studied by magneto-optical imaging. Supercond. Sci. Technol. 15, 82–89 (2002)
Choi, E.M., Lee, H.-S., Kim, H.J., Kang, B., Lee, S.-I., Olsen, A.A.F., Shantsev, D.V., Johansen, T.H.: Dendritic magnetic avalanches in carbon-free MgB2 thin films with and without a deposited Au layer. Appl. Phys. Lett. 87, 152501 (2005)
Helseth, L.E., Hansen, R.W., Il’yashenko, E.I., Baziljevich, M., Johansen, T.H.: Faraday rotation spectra of bismuth-substituted ferrite garnet films with in-plane magnetization. Phys. Rev. B 64, 174406 (2001)
Goa, P.E., Hauglin, H., Olsen, A.A.F., Baziljevich, M., Johansen, T.H.: Magneto-optical imaging setup for single vortex observation. Rev. Sci. Instrum. 74, 141–146 (2003)
Mikheenko, P., Yurchenko, V.V., Johansen, T.H.: Magneto-optical imaging of superconducting MgB2 joints. Supercond. Sci. Technol. 25, 045009 (2012)
Cardwell, D.A.: Processing and properties of large grain (RE)BCO. Mater. Sci. Eng. B 53, 1 (1998)
Xi, X.X.: MgB2 thin films. Supercond. Sci. Technol. 22, 043001 (2009)
Mikheenko, P., et al.: Integrated nanotechnology of pinning centers in YBa2Cu3O x films. Supercond. Sci. Technol. 23, 125007 (2010)
Acknowledgements
The financial support of Center for Advanced Study (CAS) at the Norwegian Academy of Science and Letters and The Research Council of Norway are gratefully acknowledged.
Author information
Authors and Affiliations
Corresponding author
Rights and permissions
About this article
Cite this article
Mikheenko, P., Yurchenko, V.V., Cardwell, D.A. et al. Magneto-Optical Imaging of Superconductors for Liquid Hydrogen Applications. J Supercond Nov Magn 26, 1499–1502 (2013). https://doi.org/10.1007/s10948-012-2033-z
Received:
Accepted:
Published:
Issue Date:
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s10948-012-2033-z