Columnar track damage in YBCO

Abstract

Ion damage tracks (columnar damage) in the high T_c superconductors have proven useful in understanding better the effect of crystalline imperfections in these materials-both in terms of the fundamental nature of the superconducting mechanism and in modifying their properties for technological applications. In this paper I present a model for the process by which the damage is created, which allows reasonable estimates to be made of the irradiation conditions required to achieve a desired type of track/columnar damage.

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