Magnetic characterization of multifilamentary BiSCCO(2223)-Ag tapes

Twisted and not twisted multifilamentary BSCCO (2223)-Ag tapes, prepared by the PIT technique, have been characterized by SQUID magnetometry with the magnetic field applied both parallel and perpendicular to the c-axis. From these measurements an estimation of the critical current densities Jab with Hext parallel to the c-axis, Jab with Hext parallel to the a-b planes and Jc is obtained. These values are in fairly good agreement with those obtained by transport measurements. The tapes turned out to be very homogeneous and practically no difference was found in the hysteresis loops of twisted and not twisted tapes, which suggests that the mean grain alignment is the same in the two types of samples and the current path probably follows the "brick wall" model.