Published online by Cambridge University Press: 31 January 2011
Microstructure control of SmBCO superconductor was carried out using the floating zone partial melting and solidification method under 0.01 atm oxygen partial pressure which is a preferable atmosphere to obtain a crystal with stoichiometric SmBCO. The growth rate, initial composition, and addition of small amount of platinum dependences on the microstructure formations of the (Sm211 + L) mixture during melting and the Sm123 or Sm123/211 during solidification were investigated. Furthermore, superconductive properties of the solidified Sm123/211 were measured by SQUID after appropriate oxygen annealing. Estimated critical current density of the single crystalline Sm123/211 was 3.6 × 104 A/cm at 77 K, 1 T.