The Effect of Dy Doping on the Magnetic Behavior of YBCO Superconductors

The effect of dysprosium (Dy) doping on yttrium barium copper oxide (YBCO) prepared by conventional solid-state reaction method has been investigated by means of XRD, AC susceptibility, and DC magnetization measurements. AC susceptibility measurements for sintered YBCO pellets have been performed as a function of temperatures at constant frequency and AC field amplitude in the absence of a DC bias field. DC magnetization measurements were done at 5, 20, and 77 K upon zero field cooling (ZFC) process. The magnetization measurements showed a paramagnetic behavior existing at high magnetic fields. The magnetic field dependence of critical current density of the samples has been estimated from DC magnetization data. The partial Dy substitution for Y on YBCO superconductors improves the bulk critical current density at high magnetic fields and at high-temperature regions (higher than 20 K).