Niobium-germanium

Niobium-germanium (Nb3Ge) is a intermetallic chemical compound of niobium (Nb) and germanium (Ge). It has A15 phase structure.

It is a superconductor with a critical temperature of 23.2 K.

Sputtered films have been reported to have an upper critical field of 37 teslas at 4.2 K.[1]

History

Nb3Ge was discovered to be a superconductor in 1973[2] and for 13 years (until the discovery in 1986 of the cuprate superconductors) it held the record as having the highest critical temperature.[3]

It has not been as widely used for superconductive applications as niobium–tin or niobium–titanium.

Niobium-germanium-aluminium has an upper critical field of about 10 Tesla.[4]

References

  1. Oya, Gin-ichiro; E. J. Saur (1979). "Preparation of Nb3Ge films by chemical transport reaction and their critical properties" (PDF). Journal of Low Temperature Physics. 34 (5–6): 569&ndash, 583. Bibcode:1979JLTP...34..569O. doi:10.1007/BF00114941.
  2. "Physics Today". American Institute of Physics. October 1973.
  3. "Superconducting devices". TheFreeDictionary. Retrieved 2008-09-06.
  4. Sinha, P. K. (1987). Electromagnetic Suspension: Dynamics & Control. The Institution of Engineering and Technology. p. 290. ISBN 978-0-86341-063-5.
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