Microstructure and transport properties of melt-textured joint of YBCO

The engineering applications of high temperature superconducting materials require long length and/or complex shape bulk textured materials. The size and shape limitations for single domain melt texturing of bulk monolith highlights the importance of joining processes. In this paper the various factors influencing the formation of the joint and its microstructure during solidification of the YbBa ₂Cu ₃O _{7- x} solder phase between two single domain bulks have been investigated. Transport current measurements across the joints being configured in a brick wall structure under optimized conditions are presented.