PRODUCTION OF OXIDE SUPERCONDUCTOR, AND OXIDE SUPERCONDUCTOR

PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To obtain an oxide superconductor having a large orientated superconducting crystal high in electrical characteristics and magnetic characteristics, by specifying the oxygen content in a raw material mixture containing rare earth metal compounds, Ba compounds and Cu compounds. SOLUTION: A raw material mixture containing RE compounds (RE is one or more rare earth metals containing Y), Ba and Cu compounds is heated, melted, quenched and solidified to give a raw material mixture having 15-20 wt.% oxygen content. The raw material mixture is ground and baked in a region at a temperature higher than the melting point of the raw material mixture to give an RE-Ba-Cu-O-based oxide superconductor comprising a finely dispersed an RE2 BaCuO5 phase in an REBa2 Cu3 O7-x phase, having >=0.1 T flux density to be caught in a stretch of 30 cm in any zone on the surface and 15-20 wt.% oxygen content. Consequently, an oxide superconductor capable of suppressing occurrence of crack, having a uniform projected magnetic flux density distribution, is obtained.