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EP0282360A2 Expired / Lapsed EP ⏱️ 0.0 years remaining

Method for manufacturing components of superconducting ceramic oxide materials

Assignee: Semiconductor Energy Laboratory Co Ltd
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Filing: 1988-03-14
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Granted: —
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Expires: 2008-03-14
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Abstract

Abstract A layer (2) of a material of substantially the same chemical composition as a known high Tc ceramic superconductor is formed on a substrate (1) by sputtering and is selectively irradiated with a laser beam (3) so as to define irradiated (4) and non-irradiated (5) regions. The sputtered layer (2) is disordered and has many lattice defects and imperfections and thus is basically non-­superconducting, but by irradiation with a laser beam (3) the sputtered layer (2) is melted and then recrystallizes into an ordered and superconducting material. In another embodiment, the sputtered layer is already superconducting and is changed into a non-superconducting material by irradiation with a laser beam, said irradiation being carried out at a relatively low temperature in order to rapidly cool the irradiated portion and convert it into a disordered, non-superconducting state. A puferred substrate is chosen from the group containing YSZ, yttria and zirconia, which have thermal expansion coefficients substantially matching that of superconducting oxide materials.

Inventors

  • 👤 Shunpei Yamazaki

Bibliographic Details

Application Number —
Jurisdiction EP
Data Source google_patents
Last Synchronized 2026-11-08 15:47
CPC Classifications
H; H01; H01F; H01F41/00; H01F41/02; H01F41/04; H01F41/041; H01F41/047; H01F6/00; H01F6/06; H10; H10N; H10N60/00; H10N60/01; H10N60/0268; H10N60/0296; H10N60/0548; H10N60/0661

Claims Analysis

Total Claims: 36
Claim 1
Independent Claim 78 words
A method of manufacturing a ceramic material superconductor, said method comprising: forming a non-superconducting layer on a surface, the chemical composition of said layer being substantially consistent with that of a superconducting ceramic; and irradiating at least a portion of said layer with light so as to melt the irradiated portion and permitting the melted portion to resolidify in a superconducting configuration, the irradiation of the non-superconducting layer serving to convert the irradiated portion into a superconducting material.
Claim 2
Independent Claim 78 words
A method of manufacturing a ceramic material superconductor, said method comprising: forming a non-superconducting layer on a surface, the chemical composition of said layer being substantially consistent with that of a superconducting ceramic; and irradiating at least a portion of said layer with light so as to melt the irradiated portion and permitting the melted portion to resolidify in a superconducting configuration, the irradiation of the non-superconducting layer serving to convert the irradiated portion into a superconducting material.
Claim 3
Dependent Claim 16 words
The method of claim 1 wherein said non-­superconducting layer is deposited on said surface by sputtering.
Claim 4
Dependent Claim 14 words
The method of claim 1 or 2 wherein said light is a laser beam.
Claim 5
Dependent Claim 20 words
The method of claim 3 wherein said laser beam is applied to the said layer in a sequence of pulses.
Claim 6
Dependent Claim 26 words
The method of claim 4 wherein said laser beam pulses are radiated to a portion of said layer so as to trace a line prescribed thereon.
Claim 7
Independent Claim 40 words
The method of any preceding claim wherein said surface is constituted by the periphery of a cylinder and said light is radiated onto a helix prescribed on said layer formed on said periphery so as to form a superconducting coil.
Claim 8
Dependent Claim 46 words
The method of claim 6 wherein said cylinder is rotated about its axis during said irradiating step and the location of the impingement of said light on the said layer is shifted in the axial direction whereby the light traces a helical path on said layer.
Claim 9
Independent Claim 19 words
The method of any of claims 1 to 5 wherein said surface is the circular surface of a disc.
Claim 10
Dependent Claim 44 words
The method of claim 8 wherein said disc is rotated during said irradiating step and the location of the impingement of said light on the said layer is shifted in the radial direction whereby the light traces a spiral path on the said layer.
Claim 11
Independent Claim 26 words
The method of any preceding claim wherein one or more further layers of non-superconducting material are serially applied and irradiated whereby to form a multi-layered structure.
Claim 12
Dependent Claim 31 words
The method of claim 10 wherein the irradiated portions of the layers of said multi-layered structure are formed to define coils which are connected in series to form a multi-layered coil.
Claim 13
Independent Claim 75 words
A method of manufacturing a ceramic material superconductor comprising: forming a non-superconducting layer on a surface, the composition of said layer being so prescribed that said layer is capable of being converted to a superconducting ceramic material when irradiated, melted and recrystallized; and irradiating and melting at least a portion of said layer with light and permitting the irradiated portion to recrystallize whereby said irradiated portion is converted from non-superconducting material to superconducting ceramic material.
Claim 14
Independent Claim 75 words
A method of manufacturing a ceramic material superconductor comprising: forming a non-superconducting layer on a surface, the composition of said layer being so prescribed that said layer is capable of being converted to a superconducting ceramic material when irradiated, melted and recrystallized; and irradiating and melting at least a portion of said layer with light and permitting the irradiated portion to recrystallize whereby said irradiated portion is converted from non-superconducting material to superconducting ceramic material.
Claim 15
Independent Claim 42 words
The method of any preceding claim wherein said irradiating step is carried out under oxidizing conditions and the stoichiometric proportion of oxygen in said layer as formed is less than that of the superconducting ceramic material which is required to be produced.
Claim 16
Independent Claim 21 words
The method of any preceding claim wherein said irradiating step is carried out at an elevated temperature of for example 300-800°C.
Claim 17
Dependent Claim 14 words
The method of claim 14 wherein said surface is heated by a halogen lamp.
Claim 18
Independent Claim 16 words
The method of any preceding claim wherein said surface is made of YSZ, yttria or zirconia.
Claim 19
Dependent Claim 13 words
The method of claim 12 wherein said non-­superconducting layer is formed by sputtering.
Claim 20
Dependent Claim 42 words
A ceramic layer comprising superconducting and non-superconducting regions and wherein said superconducting region is endowed with superconductivity whereas said non-superconducting region is not by virtue of the degree of crystallinity of said superconducting region being higher than that of said non-superconducting region.
Claim 21
Dependent Claim 42 words
A ceramic layer comprising superconducting and non-superconducting regions and wherein said superconducting region is endowed with superconductivity whereas said non-superconducting region is not by virtue of the degree of crystallinity of said superconducting region being higher than that of said non-superconducting region.
Claim 22
Dependent Claim 37 words
The ceramic layer of claim 18 wherein the superconducting and non-superconducting properties of said regions results furthermore from the proportion of oxygen in the composition of said superconducting ceramic being higher than that of said non-­superconducting ceramic.
Claim 23
Dependent Claim 11 words
A superconducting ceramic formed by recrystallizing a non-superconducting ceramic by irradiation.
Claim 24
Dependent Claim 11 words
A superconducting ceramic formed by recrystallizing a non-superconducting ceramic by irradiation.
Claim 25
Independent Claim 42 words
A method of manufacturing superconducting ceramics comprising: forming a superconducting ceramic layer on a surface; and irradiating and melting a portion of said ceramic layer with light to convert the irradiated portion from a superconducting material to a non-­superconducting material when cooled.
Claim 26
Independent Claim 42 words
A method of manufacturing superconducting ceramics comprising: forming a superconducting ceramic layer on a surface; and irradiating and melting a portion of said ceramic layer with light to convert the irradiated portion from a superconducting material to a non-­superconducting material when cooled.
Claim 27
Dependent Claim 27 words
The method of claim 21 wherein said superconducting layer is formed by depositing a ceramic material on said surface by sputtering and firing the deposited ceramic material.
Claim 28
Dependent Claim 14 words
The method of claim 21 or 22 wherein said light is a laser beam.
Claim 29
Dependent Claim 23 words
The method of claim 21 or 22 or 23 wherein said light irradiation is carried out at a temperature not higher than 100°C.
Claim 30
Dependent Claim 38 words
A superconducting device comprising a superconducting oxide ceramic element on a substrate, characterized in that the underlying surface of said substrate in contact with said ceramic element is made of at least one of YSZ, yttria and zirconia.
Claim 31
Dependent Claim 38 words
A superconducting device comprising a superconducting oxide ceramic element on a substrate, characterized in that the underlying surface of said substrate in contact with said ceramic element is made of at least one of YSZ, yttria and zirconia.
Claim 32
Dependent Claim 13 words
The device of claim 25 wherein said ceramic element is a ceramic film.
Claim 33
Dependent Claim 30 words
The device of claim 26 wherein the difference between the thermal expansion coefficients of said ceramic film and of the material of said underlying surface is not greater than 50%.
Claim 34
Independent Claim 47 words
A method of manufacturing a superconductor comprising the steps of preparing a substrate and forming a ceramic element on said substrate, characterized in that the underlying surface of said substrate in contact with said ceramic element is made of at least one of YSZ, yttria and zirconia.
Claim 35
Independent Claim 47 words
A method of manufacturing a superconductor comprising the steps of preparing a substrate and forming a ceramic element on said substrate, characterized in that the underlying surface of said substrate in contact with said ceramic element is made of at least one of YSZ, yttria and zirconia.
Claim 36
Dependent Claim 17 words
The method of claim 28 wherein said substrate is a disc made of YSZ, yttria or zirconia.

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