Nanostructured Metamaterials for High-Tc Superconductivity
Abstract
It has been demonstrated that nano-composites and nanoscopic heterostructures composed of low temperature superconductors (LTS) and dielectric materials can result in superconductive transition temperatures, Tc, that exceed the bulk values. A model for such systems predicts that Tc above room temperature is possible. Since high-Tc superconductivity (HTS) has been identified as being a key technology for future naval applications such as low power/high speed computing, de-Gaussing coils, electric motors, and other components for advanced power systems, it is desirable to have superconductors with as high a Tc as possible to minimize the cryogenic system overhead (volume, weight, and especially power consumption). A natural extension of the LTS work is to use higher Tc superconductors with the goal of synthesizing superconductors with Tc above 200 K. In this joint NICOP-NRL project, the PI and co-workers will characterize the electrical and magnetic properties of novel epitaxial nanocomposite dielectric/HTS thin film systems, a new materials platform developed by Driscoll, et al. Thin film samples will be grown and by collaborators at the University of Cambridge, who will also use standard techniques (x-ray diffraction, AFM, electron microscopy, etc.) to characterize the material properties of the samples. Collaborators at NRL will characterize the electrical and magnetic properties of the samples. The PI will characterize the samples using optical measurements. UMD collaborator will model the results using a theory developed by Smolyaninov and Smolyaninova. Since the materials growth methods in this program are readily translatable to industrial conductor fabrication, our results will eventually enable practical high performance superconducting advanced power systems to be developed, an important goal for the Navy after the end of this project.
Document Details
- Document Type
- DoD Grant Award
- Publication Date
- Jul 27, 2018
- Source ID
- N000141812681
Entities
People
- Vera N. Smolyaninova
Organizations
- Office of Naval Research
- Towson University
- United States Navy