High quality weld of melt textured YBCO using Ag doped YBCO junctions

The addition of silver to YBa(2)Cu(3)O(7-delta) (Y123) is well known to decrease its decomposition temperature. This study demonstrates the success in welding large Y123 textured samples with Ag doped Y123 junctions. Attempts to weld two melt textured domains of Y123 by a I nun thick layer of Ag doped Y123 are reported. The crucial importance of the initial Y211 excess content in the spacer material is pointed out. Microstructural observations, trapped field measurements and transport critical current density measurements prove that for a given Y211 amount a very high joint quality can be obtained. A transport critical current density as high as 10 kA/cm(2) is registered through the junction at 77 K and 5 T when the applied field is parallel to the (a,b) planes. (C) 2002 Elsevier Science B.V. All rights reserved.