Temperature, frequency, and rf field dependence of the surface resistance of polycrystalline YBa2Cu3O7-x

The rf surface resistance of a single bulk polycrystalline YBa2Cu3O7-x sample was measured with TEM resonant cavities as a function of temperature from 4.2 to 100 K, rf field amplitude from 0 to 640 G, and frequency from 175 to 1050 MHz. The surface resistance increased monotonically with rf field amplitude, saturating at a value approximately 5% of the normal-state surface resistance. The surface resistance is strongly frequency and temperature dependent below the saturation region and weakly frequency and temperature dependent above. Low-field surface resistances as small as approx-lt 1.1 μΩ (at 175 MHz) were observed at T=4.2 K. The superconducting state did not break down, even at the highest field achieved (∼640 G)