Faculty and Student Teams Program

Project Descriptions

Oak Ridge National Laboratory
Materials Science and Technology Division

Enhancing the Critical Current Performance of High-temperature Superconducting Films by Introduction of Controlled Nanostructures

Requesting applications from science or engineering faculty members at institutions serving students underrepresented in science, engineering, mathematics and technology to work on the following project at Oak Ridge National Laboratory (ORNL).

Project Description

The project involves approaches to the synthesis and materials modification of high-temperature superconducting films, with the objective of tailoring the nanoscale inhomogeneities. Such defects are essential to provide energy loss-free, high-current conduction in superconducting materials that must operate in large magnetic fields, such as will be needed for wires to be used for energy savings in future utility power applications. Substrates of various metals and oxides will be modified with nanophase additions, as surface nanodots or nanorods. Structural characterizations will include x-ray diffraction, atomic force microscopy, and optical and transmission-electron microscopy. Superconducting films will be deposited on these and control substrates, and the superconducting properties measured by electrical transport and magnetization techniques in magnetic fields to 14 Tesla. Models of defect-induced magnetic flux pinning will be invoked to analyze the results for possible mechanisms of enhanced critical currents, comparative with the baseline materials.

Laboratory Contact: David K. Christen, christendk@ornl.gov

Applicants Responsibilities and Relationship to Project

Applicants will receive support under the Department of Energy Faculty Student Team Research Program (FaST) to work collaboratively with the project research team at the Laboratory for up to 10 weeks during the summer of 2008. The exact appointment period in the time frame of June to August will be scheduled by mutual agreement between the host divisions at Oak Ridge National Laboratory and the successful applicant. Faculty will be expected to identify students from their campuses to participate in the FaST program. The faculty member will provide some mentorship to students during the summer research activities. The faculty and students must participate as a group and serve their appointments concurrently. It is expected that the faculty member and the students become an integral part of the research team working on this project and that opportunities for continued collaboration may be identified.

Qualifications of Ideal Candidates

The faculty position requires a Ph.D. in physics or a materials science discipline and demonstrated research interests and active participation in nanoscience and/or superconductivity. Demonstrated experience using relevant characterization techniques, such as x-ray diffraction, scanning electron microscopy, and atomic force microscopy, are strongly encourages. A general knowledge of film growth characteristics and oxide materials properties and characteristics is a useful prerequisite. The successful faculty applicant should be jointly affiliated with a state or national research resource for conducting this type of research in order to augment equipment and facilities for fundamental materials characterization that are already within ORNL.

The students should have a basic understanding of physics and/or materials science, and ideally be familiar with materials processing and structural analyses. They should be eager to perform hands-on experimental and characterization activities. The student(s) should also be comfortable with computer-related technology so they can be actively involved in data modeling and, reduction. A working knowledge of Microsoft Excel and scientific graphics software would be beneficial.

Support and Financial Commitments

The successful candidate will receive a stipend based on the academic salary, travel expenses to and from the Laboratory, and a housing allowance. Students recommended by the faculty member for participation in the program will receive a stipend of $400/week for each week at the Laboratory, plus a housing allowance, and reimbursement for transportation expenses to and from the ORNL. Funds are provided for this program from the US Department of Energy, Office of Science in partnership with the National Science Foundation, from ORNL, and from other sources.

See Financial Information.