Mechanical loss measurements on Y-Ba-Cu-O superconductors

In YBa2Cu3O7-x ceramics mechanical loss (internal friction) maxima are observed over a wide range of temperatures which may be assigned to the following temperature regimes: I (50-110 K), II (200 - 250 K), III (500 K), and IV (850-950 K) (peak temperatures for 1 Hz). Maximum I consists of three submaxima, IA (62 K), IB (74 K), and IC (45 K). These maxima are examined here in detail, especially their dependence on oxygen content. Maximum IB is restricted to the orthorhombic phase, maximum IA decreases continuously with oxygen deficiency and is absent for x = 1, maximum IC appears within a narrow composition range in the tetragonal phase (x ≥ 0.7). All maxima are governed by thermally activated atomic jumps (as indicated by their frequency shift) with the following relaxation parameters: IA: H = 0.128 eV, τ∞ 6.8x10-12s; IB: H = 0.180 eV, τ∞ = 1.0x10-13s; IC: H 0.08 eV; τ∞ = 1.6x10-10s. The results are discussed in connection with a comprehensive compilation of literature data on loss maxima I. Several atomic models proposed so far are presented and discussed. Models based on jumps of oxygen via vacancies are considered as less probable since it is now fairly well established that loss maximum III is connected with oxygen diffusion. Indication that maxima IA and IB are connected with hopping of holes (polarons) is presented. (orig.)