A new method for estimating the critical current density of a superconductor from its hysteresis loop

The critical current density Jc of some of the superconducting samples, calculated on the basis of the Bean’s model, shows negative curvature for low magnetic field with a downward bending near H = 0. To avoid this problem Kim’s expression of the critical current density, Jc = k/(H0 + H), where Jc has positive curvature for all H, has been employed by connecting the positive constants k and H0 with the features of the hysteresis loop of a superconductor. A relation between the full penetration field Hp and the magnetic field Hmin, at which the magnetization is minimum, is obtained from the Kim’s theory. Taking the value of Jc at H = Hp according to the actual loop width, as in the Bean’s theory, and at H = 0 according to an enhanced loop width due to the local internal field, values of k and H0 are obtained in terms of the magnetization values M+(−Hmin), M−(Hmin), M+(Hp) and M−(Hp). The resulting method of estimating Jc from the hysteresis loop turns out to be as simple as the Bean’s method.