Preparation of Bi-Sr-Ca-Cu-O superconductors from oxide-glass precursors

In this letter we report on efforts to synthesize the new Ca-Sr-Bi-Cu-O superconductors from amorphous glasses. These glasses are produced by quenching melts of the constituent oxides, followed by firing to produce the superconducting phase. This synthetic route produces denser, more uniform samples than those obtained from firing intimate mixtures of the constituent binary oxides and carbonates. Ultimately, this technique may yield pure materials with enhanced bulk properties.