Contrast enhancements due to superconductivity in scanning electron microscopy from Y1−x BaCu2+x Oy high Tc superconductors

Abstract
Microscopy and x-ray emission analysis have been performed on Y–Ba–Cu–O superconductors as a function of temperature using a scanning electron microscope equipped with a low-temperature stage. The samples exhibit a superconducting phase transition above liquid nitrogen temperature as determined by resistivity measurements and a demonstrated Meissner effect. Strong contrast changes in the micrographs due to the superconducting phase transition are found, which have been used to identify normal and superconducting regions of the sample. These samples are found to consist of particles with superconducting shells surrounding a nonsuperconducting core.

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