DOMAIN-ORIENTATION DEPENDENCE OF LEVITATION FORCE IN SEEDED MELT GROWN SINGLE-DOMAIN YBA2CU3OX

Domain-orientation dependence of levitation force has been determined for single-domain YBa2Cu3Ox. The single-domain material is obtained fr om a seeded melt growth process. The levitation force has been found t o reach a maximum as the c axis of the domain is parallel to the direc tion of the force. The levitation force decreases in a cosine law fash ion as the angle theta (the angle between the direction of the force a nd the c axis) increases from 0 degrees to 60 degrees. A maximum aniso tropy of levitation force of 2.29 has been found. A physical model is proposed to explain the observed orientation dependence. (C) 1997 Amer ican Institute of Physics.