2 Cu 3 O 7− δ coated conductors in self-field at temperatures ranging from 40 to 77 K. The
sample is cooled via a cryocooler with a cryostat pressure of∼ 10− 4 Pa, creating a nearly
adiabatic environment. A normal zone is created by pulsing a heater that is attached to the
sample surface with a thin layer of alumina-filled epoxy. The minimum quench energy is
determined by identifying the minimum heater energy that creates a propagating normal …