Microstructure and critical currents in AgMg-sheathed multifilamentary Bi/sub 2/Sr/sub 2/CaCu/sub 2/O/sub 8/ tapes

For the Ag-sheathed Bi/sub 2/Sr/sub 2/CaCu/sub 2/O/sub 8/ tapes, the high Bi/sub 2/Sr/sub 2/CaCu/sub 2/O/sub 8/ phase purity with an appropriate oxygen concentration and excellent grain alignment are responsible for high critical currents. Many fabrication parameters influence the Bi/sub 2/Sr/sub 2/CaCu/sub 2/O/sub 8/ phase content and microstructure of the tapes, which have been investigated by many researchers. In this paper, we present results of AgMg-sheathed Bi/sub 2/Sr/sub 2/CaCu/sub 2/O/sub 8/ heat treatment optimization and characterization. With the help of physical analytical methods such as ESEM, and XRD, the melt temperature is related to the transport measurements.