Thin film hg-based superconductors, thermoelectric materials and methods of fabrication thereof

Abstract

Improved Hg-containing superconducting films and thermoelectric materials are provided. The films are fabricated by annealing starting Tl-containing films (e.g., Tl-1212 or Tl-2212) in an Hg-vapor environment so as to cause a substitution of Tl by Hg without substantial alteration of the crystalline structure of the starting films. Preferably, a body comprising a substrate having an epitaxial Tl-containing film thereon is annealed under vacuum conditions with a Hg-based bulk; typical annealing conditions are 600-900° C. for a period of from about 1-20 hours. The final Hg-containing film products have a Jc of at least about 106 A/cm2 (100 K, OT) and a Xmin of up to about 50%. The thermoelectric materials are prepared by perturbing a crystalline precursor having a structure similar to the final material so as to cause a first molecule to be released from the precursor. A vapor is introduced into the reaction system simultaneous to or shortly after the perturbation step so as to cause molecules which are within the vapor and are different than the first molecules to replace the first molecules in the precursor.

Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.