Preparation and Properties of Single Crystals of the High-Tc Oxide Superconductor in the Bi-Sr-Ca-Cu-O System

Abstract

Single crystals of the superconductor in the Bi-Sr-Ca-Cu-O system were prepared by the Bridgman method. Platy crystals annealed at various physical conditions were examined by electrical resistivity measurements and single crystal X-ray diffraction studies. The superconducting transition temperature (T _c) depended on the annealing temperatures and oxygen pressure. Corresponding to annealing conditions, single crystal X-ray diffraction patterns on (h k1)^* Layer precession photographs systematically changed at room temperature. This may be related to the slight differences of the cell parameters of each specimen.