Temperature dependence of ac-losses in multifilamentary Bi-2223 tapes between 4.2 K and Tc Original Research Article

The ac-losses of twisted multifilamentary Bi-2223/Ag tapes were measured in the temperature range between 4.2 K and the critical temperature Tc∼110 K. Stacks of tapes in perpendicular and in parallel field were investigated. The loss measurement is performed by the standard magnetisation technique, the absolute loss value is obtained by a calorimetric calibration measurement. For a fixed ac-field amplitude the energy loss per cycle Q is determined, at a given temperature, as a function of frequency f. The extrapolation to f→0 gives the hysteresis loss. Coupling losses are obtained from the slope of the loss curve Q(f) in the low frequency range ωτ≪1. The measured total losses as a function of temperature show, at small field amplitudes, a minimum around 50 K. This is explained by the different temperature dependence of hysteresis and coupling losses. While coupling losses decrease with increasing temperature, hysteresis losses increase for field amplitudes below the penetration field. Coupling losses show a much weaker temperature dependence than the silver conductivity, which is explained by the existence of an interfacial resistance between filaments and silver matrix. Measured hysteresis losses were compared with available theoretical models and good agreement was found in parallel field.