Effect of laser annealing on Y-Ba-Cu-Oxide superconductors

Annealing of YBa2Cu3Ox (123) and YBa2Cu3Ox:CuO superconductors by a continuous CO2 laser beam is investigated systematically. Acicular particles formed by laser annealing of 123 is observed to increase with the laser power and improves the transport properties remarkably after sintering and oxygenation. The laser irradiation causes melting of the 124 surface and forms a continuous layer which improves the superconducting properties after high temperature annealing and oxygenation.