Creating Textured Substrate Tapes of Cu-Fe Alloys for Second-Generation High-Temperature Superconductors

It is established that Cu-1.6 at % Fe alloy tapes obtained through cold rolling to 98.9% followed by recrystallization annealing possess a sharp cube texture, which opens prospects of using thin tapes of this alloy as substrates for second-generation high-temperature superconductors. The optimum regime of annealing is determined that allows an alloy with sharp biaxial texture containing more than 97% cubic grains to be obtained. The yield stress of a 90-mu m-thick Cu-1.6 at % Fe alloy tape upon recrystallization annealing at 800 degrees C for 1 h amounts to 78 MPa, which is about three times higher than the value for a pure copper tape with sharp cube texture.