Electron Irradiation Effects on Electrical Properties of a Bi1.4Pb0.6Sr2Ca2Cu3O10 Superconductor

A Bi1.4Pb0.6Sr2Ca2Cu3O10 ceramic was sequentially irradiated with 1 MeV electrons at a dose rate of 1.1, 5.5 or 27.5×1015 m-2·s-1 to a dose of 8.0×1019 m-2 at ambient temperature, and the electrical resistivity was measured as a function of temperature. In the specimen irradiated at 1.1×1015 m-2·s-1, the superconducting transition temperature measured with 125 kA·m-2 in current density increased from 90.7-92.5 K to 96.3 K at 1.0×1019 m-2, and then gradually decreased upon further irradiation. The normal-state resistivity was, concurrently, decreased by the irradiation to 1.0×1019 m-2, and then increased almost linearly with electron dose.