Hydrogen Concentration Depth Profiles and Superconductivity in the Palladium Copper Hydride System.

A sample configuration has been devised to study palladium copper hydride alloys with respect to hydrogen concentration depth profiles and superconducting parameters. Superconducting palladium copper hydride samples, which displayed transition temperatures in agreement with data measured by Stritzker, were obtained. Thin palladium copper alloy films, which were formed on top of palladium substrate foils by ion beam and solid state techniques, were hydrogenized using electrolysis, hydrogen gas pressure charging and hydrogen ion implantation. The thin palladium copper surface films proved permeable to hydrogen, which was present in higher near surface concentrations as expected by literature. Correlation of critical superconducting transition temperature data to hydrogen concentration depth profiles was obtained. In situ measurements displayed a transition of a palladium copper hydride sample from the normal metallic to the superconducting state upon annealing treatment. Alloy structure, a parameter so far neglected by literature was determined to be significant for the formation of superconducting palladium hydride as well as palladium copper hydride.