A practical processing method for fabrication of single-domain YBCO superconductors using large-sized GdBCO seed crystals

In the fabrication of single-domain YBa₂Cu₃O_7−x (YBCO) bulk superconductors, NdBCO is commonly utilized as seed crystals to control the grain orientation in the seeding technique. However, it is extremely difficult to cleave large-size crystal seeds from NdBCO samples. In this paper, different size of GdBCO seed crystals has been successfully used to fabricate the single-domain YBCO bulk superconductors after tuning the RE + 011 top seeded and infiltration growth (TSIG) process. The surface morphology, levitation force, trapped field, and the microstructure of the final sample were investigated in detail. The results provide a strong experimental basis for fabricating pure c-axis single-domain YBCO bulks using larger-sized GdBCO seed crystals.