Growing Superconducting Ironoxypnictide Nanowires

Experimental procedures are being designed to synthesize superconducting nanowires of the latest family of superconductors, the rare-earth containing iron oxypnictide, LnFePnO (Ln = lanthanide, Pn = pnictogen). Superconducting nanowires are attractive from the technological point of view for many reasons, including their use as low-dissipation interconnects in the nano-scale devices. the nanowires in this study are grown by the sacrificial template approach, where FeP and Fe2P nanowires are reacted with La and La2O3 at elevated temperatures. It is anticipated that the reaction occurs at the surface of the iron phosphide nanowires, thereby confining the region of growth, while the nanowires are themselves consumed in the reaction. Indeed it is observed that the nanowire morphology is retained above 1000°C, justifying the choice of the sacrificial template. the amount of La incorporation in the nanowires depended on the starting amount of the La-precursors.