Scanning potentiometry and magnetic imaging of current transport in high-temperature superconductor coated conductors

Second generation Y 1 Ba 2 Cu 3 O 7-δ (YBCO) coated conductors promise greater performance than first generation powder-in-tube technology. Along with the development of these materials, advances in characterization techniques have enabled detailed studies of current flow, grain boundaries and homogeneity. We have developed a scanning probe system which can be configured to map either the magnetic field or electric potential at the sample surface (with a local Hall sensor or voltage probe respectively). While the magnetic image can be used to determine the current flow pattern, the potential map allows direct measurement of the local dissipation within the samples.