Study Of Pinning Energies In Silver-Sheathed Bismuth Superconducting Tape By 90-Degrees Rotating Sample Magnetic Measurements

Flux pinning energies and their distributions at 77 K in silver-sheathed and highly c-axis-oriented Bi2223 superconducting tape with a nominal composition of Bi1.8Pb0.4Sr2Ca2.2Cu3Oy have been determined by 90-degrees rotating sample magnetic measurements. These measurements are done in three different configurations in which the relative orientations between the trapped flux and the depinning fields vary. Three peaks, located at 0.09-0.1 eV, 0.3-0.6 eV, and 1.4 eV, respectively, are found in the distribution curves. The relation between the peaks and pinning mechanisms as pinning of a single kink, kink formation, and intrinsic pinning is discussed.