Melt-texture joining of YBa2Cu3Oy bulks

Practical applications of high-temperature superconductors require long len gth and complex shapes of the textured ceramic material. The limitation of processing the REBa2Cu3Oy (RE-123, RE = Y, Sm, Nd, etc) superconductors in desired designs requires the development of joining techniques. In this pap er we report on various attempts to join sections cut from single-domain YB a2Cu3Oy (Y-123) monoliths. The lower peritectic temperature rare earth Yb-1 23 compounds were used as solder for melt texturing at the interface for jo ining. The various factors influencing the formation of defect structures d uring the growth of the soldier phase have been investigated. Transport cur rent measurements across the joints of the samples and also of a typical co nfiguration of a brick wall structure prepared under optimized conditions a re presented.