Processing conditions for (Nd, Eu, Gd)-Ba-Cu-O ternary bulk superconductors

(Nd, Eu, Gd)-Ba-Cu-O ternary bulk superconductors have high potential for practical applications since they exhibit very high critical current densities and thus high field trapping capabilities. (Nd, Eu, Gd)-Ba-Cu-O superconductors are synthesized in a reduced oxygen atmosphere, which requires a control of oxygen partial pressure and needs a special device for hot seeding. In the present study, for simplicity, we employed Ar gas flow into the furnace to control oxygen partial pressure instead of flowing oxygen-controlled gas. Hence, it was necessary to modify the melt processing conditions to produce a single domain. Through the optimization of seeding temperature and cooling rate, we obtained the processing conditions, in which a single domain bulk (Nd, Eu, Gd)-Ba-Cu-O of 20 mm diameter could be synthesized.