High-Temperature Superconducting Material Structure for Higher Tc and Jc
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Solution Overview
Problem
Current superconducting materials, particularly cuprate superconductors, face limitations in achieving significantly higher critical current density (Jc) and superconducting transition temperature (Tc) due to a lack of understanding of their basic physics, with the last discovery of high Tc at ambient pressure being 24 years ago and Jc being 100 times smaller than the theoretical limit.
Innovation Solution
A superconducting composition comprising distinct regions of electrical insulators or semiconductors and metallic conductors, with a specific ratio of surface metal unit cells, is developed, allowing for higher Tc and Jc through precise control of dopant placement and interaction with interface phonons.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If conventional cuprate superconductors are used, then superconductivity is achieved, but the critical current density Jc is 100 times smaller than the theoretical limit
Solution Approach 1:
The patent divides the superconductor into distinct regions: a metallic region containing superconducting pathways and an insulating region containing dopant atoms. This segmentation allows the metallic regions to form percolating pathways for high current density while the insulating regions provide dopant atoms for controlling superconducting properties, resolving the contradiction between achieving high Jc and managing material complexity
Solution Approach 2:
The patent applies local quality by creating spatially varying properties within the material. The metallic regions have high electrical conductivity for current transport, while the insulating regions have low conductivity for dopant placement. This local differentiation enables simultaneous optimization of current density and superconducting transition temperature without requiring uniform material composition throughout
2Temperature
If the superconducting transition temperature Tc is increased, then high temperature superconductivity is achieved, but the mechanism remains unknown and progress is slow
Solution Approach 1:
The patent introduces dopant atoms as intermediary elements that mediate between the metallic superconducting regions and the overall material structure. These dopant atoms in the insulating regions provide a controlled way to adjust electronic properties and enhance superconducting transition temperature while maintaining a simpler, more understood physical mechanism based on phonon-mediated pairing
3Temperature
If dopant atoms are added to increase Tc, then superconducting transition temperature increases, but the critical current density decreases due to scattering
Solution Approach 1:
The patent segments dopant atoms into separate insulating regions away from the metallic superconducting pathways. This spatial separation allows dopant atoms to enhance Tc through phonon-mediated pairing while preventing them from scattering electrons in the current-carrying metallic regions, thus maintaining high critical current density
Solution Approach 2:
The patent extracts dopant atoms from the metallic superconducting regions and places them in separate insulating regions. This extraction removes the harmful effect of dopant scattering on current density while preserving the beneficial effect of dopants on enhancing superconducting transition temperature through phonon interactions
Applied Scientific Principles
This section explains which scientific principles are used to turn an abstract innovation direction into a practical engineering solution.
Function Achieved in This Case
This approach enables Tc to be raised above room temperature to approximately 400K in cuprates, achieving high current densities and addressing the longstanding challenges in cuprate superconductivity.
Implementation Method 1
the interface between the metallic and insulating regions provides a source of phonons that can pair electrons to form Cooper pairs and enable superconductivity
Implementation Method 2
the second region comprises a metallic electrical conductor... the second region extends or percolates through the solid lattice
Data Source
AI summary
A superconducting composition of matter including overlapping first and second regions. The regions comprise unit cells of a solid, the first region comprises an electrical insulator or semiconductor, and the second region comprises a metallic electrical conductor. The second region extends through the solid and a subset of said second region comprise surface metal unit cells that are adjacent to at least one unit cell from the first region. The ratio of the number of said surface metal unit cells to the total number of unit cells in the second region being at least 20 percent.