Proximity Effect in Bulk LaBa₂Cu₃O₇₋y Samples with Ag Additions

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Bulk LaBa₂Cu₃O(7-y) samples with different Ag additions were investigated. It was shown that Ag does not enter the crystallographic structure of the superconductor and segregates on the grain boundary region. Current path in these samples occurs through the proximity connected grains and this was confirmed from the temperature dependence of the critical current density and mutual inductance. By using the theory developed for the thin film structures we conclude that growing of the Ag content increased the effective cross section and the normal metal thickness. The first one prevails at low concentration increasing the current. The second dominates at higher concentration leading to saturation or even lowering of the critical current.