Properties of high-Tc oxide fibers from laser heated pedestal growth

Bi-containing oxide superconductors have been made into fine fibers using the laser-heated pedestal growth (LHPG) method. These fibers grow with the c-axis of the grain normal to the growth direction. Studies of critical currents obtained by pulsed-current transport measurement and by magnetic shielding studies are compared. The transport and magnetic properties are promising for 60-Hz power applications and devices where the current is maintained by an outside source and a small amount of dissipation can be tolerated. Low pinning barriers and consequently appreciable flux creep seem to be intrinsic characteristics of the high-T_c oxide superconductors. To utilize them in situations where persistent currents are required, it will be necessary to incorporate more pinning centers