Top seeding melt texture growth of NdBaCuO pellets in air

Most of NdBaCuO synthesis were realized under oxygen controlled melt growth (OCMG) which allows to avoid the solid solution formation. However, for in dustrial applications air synthesis is preferable due to its simplicity and its cost. In this work, different seeds and thermal cycles have been inves tigated in order to optimize the nucleation conditions for the obtention of a single domain. Several criteria have been defined for the choice of the seed. The solid solution Nd1+xBa2-xCu3Oy formed in these air synthesised sa mples appears in the range of x = 0.10 to 0.15, corresponding to T-conset b etween 60 K and 80 K. The nominal composition and the synthesis conditions (substrate, thermal treatments.) have to be accurately defined in order to avoid neodymium-rich solid solution formation.