Tl/sub 2/Ba/sub 2/CaCu/sub 2/O/sub 8/ films: Growth and applications in dc SQUIDs and microwave devices
Tl-2212 thin films were grown ex situ in a two step process on a variety of substrates, including ones with artificially introduced high angle steps. Grain boundary weak links were formed on LaAlO/sub 3/ substrates with steps and on bicrystal substrates and were employed in dc SQUIDs. The white noise level of the SQUIDs was 50/spl mu//spl Phi//sub 0///spl radic/(Hz) at 77 K. A 12.5 GHz HEMT oscillator stabilized with a Tl-2212 resonator gave 8-10 dB lower phase noise than using a gold resonator.
Transport properties of submicron YBa2Cu3O7−δ step-edge Josephson junctions
Submicron step-edge Josephson junctions in YBa2Cu3O7−δ (YBCO) thin films were fabricated and studied. All measured junctions fall into three categories: low critical current resistively shunted Josephson junctions, intrinsic Josephson junctions, and quasiparticle tunnel junctions. The transport in the junctions is correlated with the microstructure of YBCO films grown on the step edge. We argue that the properties of conventional step-edge junctions can be understood as a superposition of those types.
Techno-economic analysis of solar thermal power plants using liquid sodium as heat transfer fluid
Abstract Solar thermal power plants with central receiver and thermal storage are expected to be one key technology in future electricity generation, because they are renewable and due to the thermal storage independent of the current solar radiation. State-of-the-art solar power plants often use molten nitrate salts as heat transfer fluid. The use of liquid sodium instead leads to lower electricity generation costs. Sodium has a high thermal conductivity and thus large heat transfer rates are possible. Hence, a smaller absorber surface is sufficient for the same thermal power. As a result, the sodium receiver achieves a higher efficiency at lower investment cost. Additionally, the aiming strategy, which reduces the peak heat flux on molten salt receivers isn’t necessary for sodium. Even at high heat flux densities, the absorber tubes will be cooled sufficiently due to the high heat transfer coefficients. Therefore, the sodium receiver in this analysis is designed for one single aim point, resulting in a heat flux density of q mean = 1.06 MW / m 2 and q peak = 2.99 MW / m 2 . The state-of-the-art system with molten salt considers q mean = 0.51 MW / m 2 and q peak = 1.0 MW / m 2 . The presented techno-economic analysis of two sodium based concepts compared to a reference system with molten salt results in up to 16% lower electricity generation costs.