High Temperature Superconductivity in YBCO for SQUID Sensors

Abstract

High-temperature superconductors have attracted significant attention for their potential role in advancing scalable quantum technologies, particularly in low- loss electronic systems and superconducting devices. Among these materials, Yttrium Barium Copper Oxide (YBCO) is one of the most widely explored cuprate superconductors, because of its high critical temperature and complex superconducting behavior. In this work, we aim to investigate the structural characteristics, electrical and magnetic properties of YBCO, prepared using the conventional solid state reaction method. X-ray diffraction (XRD) was used to analysis crystallographic structure, phase formation and impurity peaks. The transition from normal to superconducting state has measured and estimation of critical temperature of YBCO in ZFC and FC modes were done using four- probe method. The detailed examination of magnetization as a function of temperature and applied magnetic field were investigated through DC SQUID magnetometry. The experimental results illustrate a sharp superconducting transition and a well defined magnetic hysteresis response, indicative of formation of vortex sites within the YBCO samples. Such quantum vortex sites also known as Abrikosov vortices plays a critical role in understanding the behaviour of superconductors in electromagnetic field as they become sources of electrical dissipation, noise and energy loss in superconducting devices. Through this work, we aim to develop an understanding of the superconducting properties of YBCO which are relevant for high Tc DC SQUID technologies.