Investigation of harmonic generation in the alternating magnetic response of superconducting Y-Ba-Cu-O

Abstract

The magnetic behavior of a sintered Y-Ba-Cu-O superconductor has been investigated by monitoring the harmonic components of its magnetic response to an alternating field. As the steady bias field is incrementally raised, a transition from a linear, reversible behavior of the magnetization to a nonlinear, irreversible behavior is indicated by the appearance of magnetic losses and odd harmonic components in the response. These harmonics disappear as the bias field or the temperature is increased above a certain point, indicating a linear behavior. The disappearance of the odd harmonics, while the magnetic losses persist, is interpreted as signifying a transition to a state of dissipative flux motion without pinning. These measurements demonstrate a new technique for determination of the lower critical field and the ‘‘irreversibility’’ field below which irreversibility in the magnetization sets in as a result of flux pinning.