Structural and superconducting properties in Y0.6Gd0.4Ba2(Nb)Cu3O7−y cuprates doped with niobium

Polycrystalline YBa2Cu3O7−y (YBCO) and Y0.6Gd0.4Ba2−xNbxCu3O7−y (YGBNCO) compounds with 0≤x≤0.225 were synthesized using standard solid state reaction technique. The structure for all samples was characterized by X-ray difference (XRD) and scanning electron microscopy (SEM). The transport properties were measured by the (FPP) method in the temperature range from 70 to 130 K. As the Nb content in the samples increased, a diffused phase indicating a niobium perovskite phase and a small amount of unidentified phase appeared. With the increase of Nb content, the superconducting transition temperature Tconset increased slowly with x≤0.125, and then it remained unchanged or slowly decreased with 0.125≤x≤0.225. It could be found that there was a slow decrease of zero-resistance temperature, Tcoffset, with the increase of Nb content. The larger transition width might result from the YBa2NbO6 phase, impurity and unidentified phases of the sample due to the Nb doping.