The investigation of phase evolution in composite ceramic superconductors using Raman microscopy techniques

Raman microspectroscopy and imaging techniques are being used to investigate key mechanistic features that influence the formation of layered Bi-based superconducting phases during the thermal treatment employed to produce silver-sheathed Bi-2223 composite conductors. Seminal information gained from these studies includes the identification of the constituent phases in certain nonsuperconducting second phase (NSP) agglomerations that tend to resist dissipation as high-Tc phase formation proceeds to completion.