GROWTH AND CHARACTERIZATION OF BISRCACUO WHISKERS

Superconducting whiskers grown from Bi-Sr-Ca-Cu-O powders during a sin tering process have been studied as a function of the starting mixture and sintering cycles. Experiments using X-ray diffraction, electron d iffraction, EDX, HREM, magnetization and resistance were used to inves tigate the composition, structure and superconducting properties of th ese whiskers. They are found to be very homogeneous, free of stacking faults and exfoliations. They also show a full Meissner effect. Under proper conditions layers of the 2223 phase appear to be intercalated i n the predominant 2212 phase.