Evaluation of the Normal-zone Initiation and Propagation Characteristics of YBCO Tape

There are great expectations for YBCO tape as a “next-generation superconductor tape” because the Jc characteristic has better magnetic field dependence at high temperatures and/or in a high magnetic field. It is important to consider stability for superconducting applications; however, the stability criterion for YBCO has not yet been distinctly established. Thus, for the sake of establishing stability criterion for YBCO, we examined the normal-zone initiation and propagation characteristics of a YBCO tape sample experimentally and numerically, and the experimental results were compared with a simulation conducted utilizing a newly developed computer program based on the finite element method (FEM). We also investigated the influence of Ag stabilizer thickness and Hastelloy substrate on the transient thermal behavior of the YBCO tapes.