Thermodynamic route of Nb3Sn nucleation: Role of oxygen

Zeming Sun; Darrah K. Dare; Zhaslan Baraissov; David A. Muller; Michael O. Thompson; Matthias U. Liepe

doi:10.1063/5.0157659

Thermodynamic route of Nb₃Sn nucleation: Role of oxygen

Zeming Sun
, Darrah K. Dare
, Zhaslan Baraissov
, David A. Muller
, Michael O. Thompson
, Matthias U. Liepe

Research output: Contribution to journal › Article › peer-review

7 Scopus citations

Abstract

Intermetallic Nb₃Sn alloys have long been believed to form through Sn diffusion into Nb. However, our observations of significant oxygen content in Nb₃Sn prompted an investigation of alternative formation mechanisms. Through experiments involving different oxide interfaces (clean HF-treated, native oxidized, and anodized), we demonstrate a thermodynamic route that fundamentally challenges the conventional Sn diffusion mechanism for Nb₃Sn nucleation. Our results highlight the critical involvement of a SnO_x intermediate phase. This new nucleation mechanism identifies the principles for growth optimization and new synthesis of high-quality Nb₃Sn superconductors.

Original language	English
Article number	071118
Journal	APL Materials
Volume	11
Issue number	7
DOIs	https://doi.org/10.1063/5.0157659
State	Published - Jul 1 2023
Externally published	Yes

Funding

This work was supported by the U.S. National Science Foundation under Award No. PHY-1549132, the Center for Bright Beams. This work made use of the Cornell Center for Materials Research Shared Facilities which are supported through the NSF MRSEC program (Grant No. DMR-1719875).

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10.1063/5.0157659

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title = "Thermodynamic route of Nb3Sn nucleation: Role of oxygen",

abstract = "Intermetallic Nb3Sn alloys have long been believed to form through Sn diffusion into Nb. However, our observations of significant oxygen content in Nb3Sn prompted an investigation of alternative formation mechanisms. Through experiments involving different oxide interfaces (clean HF-treated, native oxidized, and anodized), we demonstrate a thermodynamic route that fundamentally challenges the conventional Sn diffusion mechanism for Nb3Sn nucleation. Our results highlight the critical involvement of a SnOx intermediate phase. This new nucleation mechanism identifies the principles for growth optimization and new synthesis of high-quality Nb3Sn superconductors.",

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T2 - Role of oxygen

AU - Sun, Zeming

AU - Dare, Darrah K.

AU - Baraissov, Zhaslan

AU - Muller, David A.

AU - Thompson, Michael O.

AU - Liepe, Matthias U.

PY - 2023/7/1

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N2 - Intermetallic Nb3Sn alloys have long been believed to form through Sn diffusion into Nb. However, our observations of significant oxygen content in Nb3Sn prompted an investigation of alternative formation mechanisms. Through experiments involving different oxide interfaces (clean HF-treated, native oxidized, and anodized), we demonstrate a thermodynamic route that fundamentally challenges the conventional Sn diffusion mechanism for Nb3Sn nucleation. Our results highlight the critical involvement of a SnOx intermediate phase. This new nucleation mechanism identifies the principles for growth optimization and new synthesis of high-quality Nb3Sn superconductors.

AB - Intermetallic Nb3Sn alloys have long been believed to form through Sn diffusion into Nb. However, our observations of significant oxygen content in Nb3Sn prompted an investigation of alternative formation mechanisms. Through experiments involving different oxide interfaces (clean HF-treated, native oxidized, and anodized), we demonstrate a thermodynamic route that fundamentally challenges the conventional Sn diffusion mechanism for Nb3Sn nucleation. Our results highlight the critical involvement of a SnOx intermediate phase. This new nucleation mechanism identifies the principles for growth optimization and new synthesis of high-quality Nb3Sn superconductors.

UR - https://www.scopus.com/pages/publications/85165876791

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JO - APL Materials

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ER -

Thermodynamic route of Nb₃Sn nucleation: Role of oxygen

Abstract

Funding

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