Conceptual Experimental Physics: SESH1210

Numericals: Module 5 Superconductivity and Supercapacitors

Example 1: The critical temperature of Nb is 9.15 K. At zero Kelvin the critical field
is 0.196 T. Calculate the critical field at 6 K.
Solution:
Given, Tc = 9.15 K ; T = 6 K ; H0 = 0.196 T ; Hc = ?

Formula:

= 1−

6
∴ = 0.196 1 −
9.15
∴ = 0.196 1 − 0.4299
∴ = 0.196 0.5701
∴ = 0.1117

Example 2: Superconducting Sn has a critical temperature of 3.7 K at zero magnetic

field and a critical field of 0.0306 T at 0 K. Find the critical field at 2 K.
Solution:
Given, Tc = 3.7 K ; H0 = 0.0306 T ; Hc = ? ; T = 2 K

Formula:

= 1−

2
∴ = 0.0306 1 −
3.7
∴ = 0.0306 1 − 0.29218
∴ = 0.0306 0.70782
∴ = 0.021659

Example 3: The transition temperature for Pb is 7.2 K. However, at 5 K it loses the

superconducting property if subjected to magnetic field of 3.3 × 104 A/m. Find the
maximum value of H which will allow the metal to retain its superconductivity at 0
K.
Solution:
Given, Tc = 7.2 K ; T = 5 K ; Hc = 3.3 × 104 A/m ; H0 = ?

Formula:
 = 1−

∴ =
1−
3.3 × 10
∴ =
5
1−
7.2
3.3 × 10
∴ =
25
!1 − "
51.28
∴ = 6.37 × 10 #/%

Example 4: Calculate the critical current through a long thin superconducting wire of
radius 0.5 mm. The critical magnetic field is 7.2 kA/m.
Solution:
Given, Hc = 7.2 × 103 A/m ; r = 0.5 × 10-3 m ; Ic = ?

Formula:
& = 2'(
∴ & = 2 × 3.14 × 0.5 × 10)* × 7.2 × 10*
∴ & = 22.608 #

Example 5: Calculate the critical current for a superconducting wire of lead having a
diameter of 1 mm at 4.2 K. Critical temperature for lead is 7.18 K and critical field is
6.5 × 104 A/m.
Solution:
Given, d = 1mm⇒ r = 0.5 ×10-3 m ; T = 4.2 K ; Tc = 7.18 K ; H0 = 6.5 × 104 A/m ; Ic
= ? ; Hc = ?

Formula:

= 1−

4.2
∴ = 6.5 × 10 1−
7.18
∴ = 6.5 × 10 1 − 0.34217
∴ = 6.5 × 10 × 0.65783
∴ = 42.758 ,#/%
Now,
& = 2'(
∴ & = 2 × 3.14 × 0.5 × 10)* × 42.758 × 10*
∴ & = 134.26 #
Example 6: In a superconducting material isotopic mass is 199.5 amu and critical
temperature is 5K. Calculate isotopic mass at 5.1 K.
Solution:
Given, Mc1 = 199.5 amu ; Tc1 = 5 K ; Tc2 = 5.1 K ; Mc2 = ?

Formula:
1
∝
√/
∴ 0 1/ 0 = 1/
0
∴/ =/ 0

5
∴/ = 199.5
5.1
∴ / = 199.5 0.9803
∴ / = 191.75 2%3

Example 7: The transition temperature of mercury with an average atomic mass of

200.59 amu is 4.153 K. Determine the transition temperature of one of its isotopes
204
80Hg .
Solution:
Given, Mc1 = 200.59 amu ; Tc1 = 4.153 K ; Mc2 = 204 amu ; Tc2 = ?

Formula:
1
∝
√/
∴ 0 1/ 0 = 1/
/0
∴ = 0
/
200.59
∴ = (4.153)
204
200.59
∴ = (4.153)
204
∴ = 16.9591
∴ = 4.1181 6

Example 8: The critical field for vanadium is 105 A/m at 8.58 K and 2 × 105 A/m at
0 K. Determine the Critical temperature.
Solution:
Given, Hc = 105 A/m ; H0 = 2 × 105 A/m ; T = 8.58 K ; Tc = ?

Formula:
 = 1−

∴ = 1−

∴ = 1−

∴ =
7!1 − "
8.58
∴ =
108
7 1−
2 × 108
8.58
∴ =
1 1 − 0.5
8.58
∴ =
√0.5
8.58
∴ =
0.7071
∴ = 12.1334 6

Example 9: A voltage of 5.9 μV is applied across a Josephson junction. What is the

frequency of the radiation emitted by the junction ? (Given e = 1.6 × 10-19 C, h = 6.62
× 10-34 JS).

Solution:
Given, V = 5.9 × 10-6 V ; ν = ?

Formula:
2:;
9=
ℎ
2 × 1.6 × 10)0= × 5.9 × 10)>
∴9=
6.62 × 10)*
∴ 9 = 2.851 × 10= ?

Example 10: A Josephson junction has a voltage of 8.5 mV across its terminals.
Calculate the frequency of the e.m. waves generated by it. (Given e = 1.6 × 10-19 C, h
= 6.62 × 10-34 JS).
Solution:
Given, V = 8.5 × 10-3 V ; ν = ?
Formula:
2:;
9=
ℎ
2 × 1.6 × 10)0= × 8.5 × 10)*
∴9=
6.62 × 10)*
∴ 9 = 4.108 × 100 ?